BBC needs to promote religious literacy, Bishop of Norwich tells Peers

On 12th October 2016 the House of Lords debated a Government motion “that this House takes note of the drafts of the BBC’s new charter and the agreement between the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Corporation.” The Bishop of Norwich, Rt Revd Graham James, spoke in the debate about the need for well-resourced and informed coverage of religion. 

norwich121016bThe Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I have been pondering what interest to declare in this debate. I have never been employed by the BBC, but have received very modest remuneration for occasional broadcasts; I listen to Radio 4 more than any other channel; I fall asleep when watching “Newsnight”, despite my best intentions; and I belong to a generation for whom, in our childhood and early life, television and radio were the BBC—in my native Cornwall in the late 1950s, there was no ITV. I say all this because I realise that the BBC is so much part of the fabric of my life that I can be an incurable romantic about it.

In some ways, the BBC is rather like the Church of England: it is both national and local, and everyone in the BBC, as in the Church of England, imagines that power is being exercised somewhere but they always believe that it is somewhere else and that they do not have any. Continue reading “BBC needs to promote religious literacy, Bishop of Norwich tells Peers”

Division: Investigatory Powers Bill

On 11th October 2016 a vote took place on an Opposition amendment to the Government’s Investigatory Powers Bill, in which three bishops took part. Continue reading “Division: Investigatory Powers Bill”

Second Church Estates Commissioner welcomes Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Payments Bill

Caroline SpelmanOn Tuesday 11th October 2016 the House of Commons debated the Government’s Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Bill at its Second Reading. The Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, spoke in the debate:

Dame Caroline Spelman (Meriden) (Con): I have to declare an interest, as I am sure will many Members who are present, as a Member of Parliament who has set up a charity. In fact, I have set up two. The fact that, 20 years on, only one still exists shows part of the experience of people who set up charities for good causes, because it is often hard to sustain the funding. The first is a charity that supports people who suffer from substance abuse and it is flourishing, but with the second, which was set up to support the victims of domestic violence, I found it hard to continue to secure funds. That is the nature of charitable work and it will not stop any of us from setting up new charities. Hopefully, the Bill will encourage more of us and our constituents to take such opportunities. Continue reading “Second Church Estates Commissioner welcomes Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Payments Bill”

Bishop of Rochester calls for more affordable housing

RochesterOn 11th October 2016, Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville asked the government “how they plan to improve the quality and affordability of housing in the United Kingdom”. The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Revd James Langstaff, contributed to the debate.

Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester calls for more affordable housing”

Caroline Spelman raises plight of Christian refugees and religious minorities in Syrian

Caroline SpelmanOn 11th October MPs debated a motion from Andrew Mitchell MP (Sutton Coldfield, Con), “That this House has considered the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Aleppo and more widely across Syria.” The Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, made a short intervention in the debate during the speech of Patrick Grady MP, to draw attention to the plight of Christians and religious minorities.

Dame Caroline Spelman (Meriden, Con): While the UK Government are right to focus their efforts on providing aid in the region, the refugees we have agreed to take, particularly under the community sponsorship scheme, include only 2% of Christian refugees from Syria, despite the fact that religious minorities constitute up to 12% of the Syrian population. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we need to make more effort to reach out to frightened religious minorities in Syria? Continue reading “Caroline Spelman raises plight of Christian refugees and religious minorities in Syrian”

Bishop of Derby discusses committee report on sexual violence in conflict

Derby 191115cOn 10th October 2016, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne moved the motion “that this House takes note of the Report from the Sexual Violence in Conflict Committee (Session 2015–16, HL Paper 123).” The Bishop of Derby, the Rt. Revd. Alastair Redfern, who was a member of the Committee, spoke in the debate.

The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I, too, served on the committee, and it was a great privilege to be part of it. I pay tribute to the expert chairmanship of the noble Baroness, Lady Nicholson. We were, to put it mildly, a diverse group, but she held us together, and we produced a report that will be significant as a foundation, as other noble Lords have said. I also offer my congratulations to the Minister, who leads by great example, as seen not just at the recent meeting at the UN in September but in all kinds of ways. She has been an encouragement and a force for the right direction within government, and I am very grateful for that contribution. I also pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Hague, for his PSV initiative. I had the privilege of being present at the summit in 2014, which has created a momentum that we need to learn from and develop. I will pick up the theme mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Hague, of the significance of important Governments making a public stand. In doing that, I will also speak as a faith community leader. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby discusses committee report on sexual violence in conflict”

Bishop of Norwich calls on Government to prioritise vulnerable children in Calais

14.06.12 Bishop of NorwichOn 10th October 2016, Baroness Hussein-Ece asked the government “how many lone children in Calais with family links in the United Kingdom have been allowed into the United Kingdom in the past 12 months.” The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt. Revd. Graham Jones, asked a supplementary question.
 Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich calls on Government to prioritise vulnerable children in Calais”

Archbishop of Canterbury praises work of voluntary sector in helping those in debt

Archbishop of CanterburyOn 10th October 2016, Lord Sharkey asked the Government “what assessment they have made of the harm to consumers caused by unsolicited real-time promotion of high-cost credit and of debt management solutions.” The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, asked a follow up question.

The Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I declare an interest as patron of Christians Against Poverty, a voluntary organisation based in Bradford dealing with debt management. Does the Minister agree that debt management is an area where there is very significant participation by the not-for-profit voluntary sector? Will he undertake to draw the attention of the FCA and other authorities to the participation of this sector so that it may be listened to and its role receive the recognition that will help people in these problems? Continue reading “Archbishop of Canterbury praises work of voluntary sector in helping those in debt”

Bishop of Durham asks Government about aid to Burundi and Rwanda

Bp Durham June 2015 bOn 10th October 2016 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received written answers to four questions on aid to Rwanda and Burundi:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contingency plans are in place to provide humanitarian aid in the event of a poor harvest in Burundi. [HL1693] Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about aid to Burundi and Rwanda”

Church of England Week in Westminster, 12th-16th September 2016

Welcome to the Church of England’s weekly round-up of activity in Parliament.

Westminster

This week bishops in the House of Lords asked questions on troubled families, pensions, the impact of Brexit on farming, vetting of prison chaplains, and aid to Burundi and to Rwanda.  Continue reading “Church of England Week in Westminster, 12th-16th September 2016”