Bishop of Portsmouth asks Government about impact of tax credit cuts

On 14th of September 2015 Lord Dubs asked the Government ‘what assessment they have made of the impact of cuts in tax credits on middle- and lower-income working people’. The Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Revd Christopher Foster, asked a supplementary question about the impact the proposed cuts would have on children.

14.04.09 Portsmouth maiden speech 1The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, bearing in mind that two-thirds of children who live in poverty are in in-work families, how will the Government monitor the impact of the proposed changes? In particular, will they review the exclusion of income-based measures from the suite of life chances indicators being brought in?

Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth asks Government about impact of tax credit cuts”

Church of England Week in Westminster 7th-11th September 2015

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

Westminster-abbeyIn the first week back after the summer recess the bishops in the House of Lords spoke about child exploitation, debt management, civil partnerships, child mental health and benefit sanctions.

In the House of Commons Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, spoke in the debate on the Assisted Dying Bill and answered questions on metal theft, open churches, climate change and food banks.

Both Caroline Spelman and the Bishop of Peterborough joined other Members of Parliament in paying tribute to the Queen upon becoming the longest reigning monarch. Continue reading “Church of England Week in Westminster 7th-11th September 2015”

Assisted Dying Bill – speech by Caroline Spelman

On the 11th September 2015 the House of Commons considered the Assisted Dying Bill, a private member’s bill tabled by Rob Marris MP. Caroline Spelman MP, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, spoke during the debate.

MPs rejected the Bill in the subsequent vote by 330 to 118 votes. 

Spelman CCQs June 2015 1Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden) (Con): I respect the sincerely held views of the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West (Rob Marris). The whole nation will be looking at our debate on this issue today and it is right that we show respect for the strongly held views on all sides, but I beg to differ with him.

Historically, our society has abhorred suicide and based that view on the principle of the sanctity of life, but that argument is becoming harder to make in an increasingly secular society. The view that life is a gift from God with all that it entails, including pain and suffering, and that it is not for us to bring it to an end, is perceived to be at odds with the prevailing view of our rights, including a perceived right to end our own life. Continue reading “Assisted Dying Bill – speech by Caroline Spelman”

Church Commissioners’ questions – climate change and open church buildings

On 10th September 2015 Caroline Spelman, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered two oral questions in the House of Commons,on climate Change and open and sustainable churches.  

Climate Change

Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): What steps the Church Commissioners are taking to support the Church of England’s international efforts to tackle climate change. [901256]

Spelman CCQs June 2015 1The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Mrs Caroline Spelman): The Church of England, along with the wider Anglican Communion, is actively tacking climate change in four ways: assessing its investment strategy and, where necessary, divesting in the context of our climate change policy; actively engaging with public policy; attending the forthcoming Paris conference; and encouraging its parishes to reduce their carbon footprint and their parishioners to do the same. Continue reading “Church Commissioners’ questions – climate change and open church buildings”

Church Commissioner written answers: Metal theft, closed churches, food banks

On the 10th of September 2015 Caroline Spelman MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered five written questions from members of the House of Commons, about metal theft, closed churches and food banks.

Churches: Blackburn
Caroline SpelmanThe following two were grouped together:
Mr Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn were subject to metal theft from rooves in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014; and which such churches were redundant. [8993]
Mr Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which Church of England churches in the Diocese of Blackburn have been subject to metal theft from roofs in each year since 2012; and which such churches were redundant churches. [8387]
  Continue reading “Church Commissioner written answers: Metal theft, closed churches, food banks”

Churches’ role in helping rural broadband provision


On the 10th September 2015 Caroline Spelman MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, asked Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss about churches providing access to rural broadband.
Rt Hon. Caroline Spelman Caroline Spelman(Meriden) (Con): The Churches are keen to offer their buildings to help address better rural broadband provision. Would the Secretary of State be willing to convene a roundtable of interested dioceses and suppliers to share the findings of the rural superfast broadband pilots? Continue reading “Churches’ role in helping rural broadband provision”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about the impact access to health services have on children in rural areas

Bishop of St AlbansOn the 10th September 2015 Baroness Tyler of Enfield asked the Government what plans they have to tackle the variations in health outcomes across the country for children aged under five. The Bishop of St Albans asked a supplementary question about the impact access to health services have on children in rural areas

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about the impact access to health services have on children in rural areas”

Bishop of Peterborough asks the Government about benefits sanctions

On the 10th September 2015 Baroness Sherlock asked the government what plans they have to review the operation of sanctions on benefits. The Bishop of Peterborough, Rt Revd. Donald Allister, asked a supplementary question about the impact the cost of travel has on people in rural areas when they are required to attend appointments at JobCentre Plus.

14.02 PeterboroughThe Lord Bishop of Peterborough: My Lords, the Feeding Britain report showed that some people have been sanctioned for missing or being late for appointments when it is not their own fault. Is it not possible for the staff at Jobcentre Plus to be given some discretion in whether or not to apply sanctions? Along the same lines, is it fair that some people in rural communities have to spend £7 or more on bus fares to get to routine appointments when the likes of me, who can well afford bus fares, are entitled to a free bus pass?

Continue reading “Bishop of Peterborough asks the Government about benefits sanctions”

Tributes to the Queen – Second Church Estates Commissioner


On the 10th September 2015 the House of Commons paid tributes to the Queen on her becoming the longest reigning monarch. Caroline Spelman MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, paid tribute on behalf of the Church of England.

Caroline SpelmanThe Second Church Estates Commissioner (Mrs Caroline Spelman): On behalf of the Church of England, I would like to pay tribute in this House to the Queen as head of the Church for the faithful and inspiring leadership she has provided to the Church, regularly speaking about the importance of her faith in her personal life and in her role—not just in the Christmas broadcast but all through the year. In the House of Lords, the Bishop of Peterborough will be placing a tribute, and up and down the country churches will be celebrating her long reign with services and other events. We wish her many more happy years to reign.

(Via Parliament.UK)

Tributes to the Queen – Bishop of Peterborough

On the 9th September 2015 the Bishop of Peterborough the Rt Revd. Donald Allister joined the other parts of the House of Lords in paying tribute to Her Majesty the Queen upon the occasion of her becoming the longest-reigning monarch. Bishop Donald spoke of his personal experience of meeting the Queen and about the importance her faith has been as she goes about her public duties in the UK and the wider Commonwealth.

14.02 PeterboroughThe Lord Bishop of Peterborough: My Lords, 1952 was a good year: Her Majesty the Queen acceded to the Throne in February and I was born in August. That puts me in the majority of people in this country—although, I suggest, perhaps not in your Lordships’ House—whose whole lives have been lived in her reign. Those 63 years, coming up to 64, have seen immense change and an immense pace of change. Institutions and authority figures have become more accountable and often less trusted. The monarchy and the Royal Family have been through difficulties, but the Queen has come through as completely trusted and deeply loved. This is not because of the institution of the monarchy but because of her personal character and integrity. Continue reading “Tributes to the Queen – Bishop of Peterborough”