Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of Portsmouth tables amendment about impact on families and faith communities of two-child limit

On Monday 7th December, the House of Lords debated the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill during its first day of Committee. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke to an amendment he had tabled to require Government to assess the impact of the proposed two-child limit for new claimants on families and faith communities. His speeches opening and closing the debate on his amendment are included below, along with an extract of the Minister’s reply. The full debate, including speeches by other Members, can be seen at: Parliament.uk

BishPortsspeechtaxcreditsThe Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, I tabled Amendment 21 to highlight the impact of this measure on different faith communities who share our concerns with this part of the Bill in particular. Noble Lords who attended the special briefing we organised two weeks ago will have heard Chaya Spitz, chief executive of the Interlink Foundation, speak passionately about the implications for the Orthodox Jewish community that she represents and is a member of. For her community, larger families are the norm and the central pivot around which everything else revolves. There is a positive, faith-based imperative to have children, to create the next generation in service of God. There is also a commonly held conscientious objection to the use of artificial contraception, except in prescribed circumstances, and to abortion, except in rare circumstances. By limiting financial support to the first two children, this policy is making a judgment that touches on deeply personal and strongly held religious and cultural beliefs about the family, and that threatens the viability of whole faith communities.

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Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of Portsmouth opposes two-child limit for new claimants

On Monday 7th December, the House of Lords debated the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill during its first day of Committee. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke in support of a motion from Baroness Sherlock and Lord McKenzie opposing the question that clauses 11 and 12 (limiting child tax credits to the first two children) should stand part of the bill. His speech is included below, along with an extract of the Minister’s reply. The full debate, including speeches by other Members, can be seen at: Parliament.uk

BishPortsspeechtaxcreditsThe Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, I express my strong concern about these clauses remaining part of the Bill. I offer three straightforward and, I hope, succinct comments: first, about the implications of these clauses; secondly, about the motivation of parents that is implied; and, thirdly, about where responsibility lies.

First, the Government place great emphasis on choice and personal responsibility for family size. I have to say that that assumes a remarkable assumption about the fail-safe effectiveness of contraception—or, if not, an apparent willingness for abortion to be appropriate as a sort of emergency contraception to keep family size to two children. I doubt the assumption, and would deeply regret driving people to seek termination on economic grounds. Is that really what the Government wish? Continue reading “Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of Portsmouth opposes two-child limit for new claimants”

Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of Portsmouth tables amendment on victims of domestic abuse and bereaved parents

On Monday 7th December, the House of Lords debated the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill during its first day of Committee. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke to amendments he had tabled to exempt bereaved parents and victims of domestic abuse from the proposed two-child limit for new claimants. His speech on his amendment is included below, along with an extract of the Minister’s reply. The full debate, including speeches by other Members, can be seen at: Parliament.uk 

BishPortsspeechtaxcreditsThe Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, I highlight two particularly vulnerable groups in my Amendments 5, 6, 13 and 14, groups that I believe should be exempted from this measure. These are bereaved parents and victims of domestic abuse. In focusing so heavily on promoting personal responsibility, there is always a danger with welfare reforms that we neglect our collective responsibility to look after those who fall on difficult times, people we will probably never meet but whom we support through our taxes in their time of need so that we, too, will be supported when we need help.

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Bishop of Portsmouth speaks on floods

On 7th December 2015 a statement from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on flooding in the north of England was repeated in the House of Lords. The Bishop of Portsmouth responded:

BishPortsspeechtaxcreditsThe Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, I apologise to the House and in particular to the noble Baroness, Lady Parminter, and the Minister for my earlier ill-timed intervention. I add an expression of my compassion and sympathy, and the assurance of my prayers, to all those whose lives and livelihoods have been affected and particularly to the families of those who died.

The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Carlisle lives in Keswick so has seen for himself the terrible problems caused by these storms. I know that the House will appreciate that he cannot be in his place today. In the past 10 years we have seen in Cumbria three so-called once-in-a-lifetime flooding events. Does the Minister believe that there may be a category problem here, and that some redefinition may be appropriate? Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth speaks on floods”

Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of Portsmouth tables amendment on Kinship Carers


On Monday 7th December, the House of Lords debated the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill during its first day of Committee. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke to amendments he had tabled to exempt kinship carers from the proposed two-child limit for new claimants. His speeches opening and closing the debate on his amendment are included below, along with an extract of the Minister’s reply. The full debate, including speeches by other Members, can be seen at: Parliament.uk

BishPortsspeechtaxcreditsThe Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, my concerns about this measure, along with those of other faith groups and organisations, are set out in the briefing note that my colleague the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Durham circulated to all Members of the House prior to the Second Reading debate. In that note we expressed our belief that children are a blessing and that anything that sends an implicit or explicit message that a child is unwanted or burdensome should be strongly resisted. Continue reading “Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of Portsmouth tables amendment on Kinship Carers”

Bishop of Bristol asks Government about bureaucratic delays in settling Syrian refugees

On 7th December 2015 Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty’s Government “what progress they have made to implement the Prime Minister’s pledge to settle 1,000 Syrian refugees by Christmas.” The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Mike Hill, asked a follow up question:

Bishop of Bristol June 2015

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, I return to a question I previously hinted at, and in the light of the rather high profile reportage of the plan of the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury to house refugees in a cottage in the grounds of Lambeth Palace. Given that we understand there is some necessary bureaucracy associated with the proper placement of refugees, have we got the balance right? It is not just a question about the Archbishop, but about the good will shown by a good many people, which seems to be turned back by unnecessary bureaucracy.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about Acute Oak Decline

On 7th December 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received three written answers to questions on Acute Oak Decline.

Bishop St Albans June 2015The Lord Bishop of St Albans: 

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the spread of Acute Oak Decline in the UK.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many oak trees have been killed by Acute Oak Decline in the past five years.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have conducted into the bacterial infection spread by the Agrilus biguttatus beetle. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about Acute Oak Decline”

Church of England Week in Westminster 30th November – 4th December 2015

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

cropped-palace_of_westminster_london_-_feb_2007.jpgThis week bishops in the House of Lords spoke during a debate on the Government’s proposals for military action against ISIL in Syria, on the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement and the Government’s strategic defence and security review. Bishops also asked questions on violence against UK Muslims, Iraq’s Camp Liberty and home schooling. In the House of Commons the Second Church Estates Commissioner spoke in the debate on action in Syria and answered questions on help from churches for Syrian refugees, vandalism of graves and the decision by Digital Cinema Media not to screen an advert by the Church of England. Continue reading “Church of England Week in Westminster 30th November – 4th December 2015”

Bishop of Portsmouth speaks on Strategic Defence and Security Review

On 3rd December, 2015 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Attlee “that this House takes note of the United Kingdom’s role in supporting international security and stability in the light of the strategic defence and security review.” The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke in the debate. His speech is below, alongside an extract from the Minister’s response.

BishPortsspeechtaxcredits

 Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, even before we reach the halfway point of this debate, a range of significant and important matters have been raised. Some merit much more substantial consideration—for example, international partnerships and relationships, the deliverability of counterterrorism and the cyberterrorism agendas, and the huge importance of diplomatic presence and influence. To these I add the projected development of the delegated model. Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth speaks on Strategic Defence and Security Review”

Bishop of Portsmouth responds to Autumn Statement on the economy

On 3rd December 2015 the House of Lords debated the Chancellor’s Spending Review and Autumn Statement. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke in the debate.

 

14.04.09 Portsmouth maiden speech 2

The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, the Chancellor in his Statement in the other place described this as a Government who do big things. I begin by acknowledging with gratitude the big decision to retract the proposals to alter the tax credit thresholds and taper rate. I spoke from these Benches not many weeks ago when we were assured that the Chancellor was listening. It would be possible to say more about that journey of listening leading to this big decision, but that might be churlish. I simply welcome the announcement. Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth responds to Autumn Statement on the economy”