The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 13th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government whether they intend to scrap the Chalk Stream Recovery Pack.
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The Bishop of Lichfield received the following written answers on 13th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Lichfield asked His Majesty’s Government what the average caseload of probation officers in England and Wales was in each year of the last decade.
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The Bishop of Sheffield spoke in a debate on the Hereditary Peers Bill on 12th March 2025, opposing amendments that would reduce the number of Lords Spiritual in the House Lords:
The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I am sorry to disappoint the noble Lord, Lord Moore, in the fact that the Bench of Bishops is briefly going to speak up on its own behalf. He may be surprised, as may many noble Lords opposite, that in the first eight months of the current Parliament the Bishops have voted 29 times, and only five times with the Labour Government. The Bishops are not party political; we really do seek to improve and scrutinise legislation. That is by the way.
I am grateful for the opportunity offered by this range of amendments to address some of the concerns expressed by Members of this Committee about the place and role of those of us who serve on these Benches. Although we are not whipped and do not have a party line, the Lords spiritual are pretty much all of one mind that your Lordships’ House would benefit from some reform, not least to do with numbers and patronage. As noble Lords would expect, we believe that a reformed House of Lords should include Lords spiritual and should continue to reflect the present constitutional arrangement.
Continue reading “Hereditary Peers Bill: Bishop of Sheffield outlines opposition to amendments reducing number of Lords Spiritual”
The Bishop of Bristol asked a question on antisemitism on university campuses on 12th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, aware of the renewed efforts by the University of Bristol to combat anti-Semitism, and noting the multifaith conference on anti-Semitism that will take place there this month and the collaborative work of multifaith chaplaincies with university authorities and the Community Security Trust, how are the Government using the learning and good practice from universities around the country?
Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks about antisemitism on university campuses”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 12th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of government policy on rural areas, and how they intend to ensure that government policy takes the needs of rural communities into account.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about impact of government policy on rural areas”The Bishop of Lichfield received the following written answer on 12th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Lichfield asked His Majesty’s Government how many deaths by suicide of people on probation there were in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.
Continue reading “Bishop of Lichfield asks about deaths by suicide of those on probation”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 12th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the study by Arpita Ghosh, Heather Flowe and James Rockey Estimating excess mortality due to female genital mutilation, published August 2023, and (2) the number of avoidable deaths resulting from female genital mutilation (FGM); and of the organisations which receive FGM aid grants from the UK, how many provide medical assistance to women and girls suffering life-threatening complications as a result of FGM, including severe bleeding, obstructed labour, and infection.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about deaths and life-threatening complications as a result of female genital mutilation”On 11th March 2025, the Bishop of Sheffield spoke in support of amendment 13 to the Football Governance Bill which would ensure that football clubs comply with the Climate Change Act 2008:
My Lords, I will speak to Amendment 13, to which I have added my name. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Jones, for tabling this significant addition to the Bill.
Continue reading “Football Governance Bill: Bishop of Sheffield supports amendment on Climate Change Act compliance”On 11th March 2025, the House of Lords debated the Football Governance Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
The Bishop of St Albans moved two amendments to the Holocaust Memorial Bill on11th March 2025: amendment 22, which would seek to “limit the amount of time that Victoria Tower Gardens can be closed to the public as a result of events linked to the proposed Holocaust memorial and learning centre to three days a year,” and amendment 26, which would seek to “prevent the establishment of refreshment kiosks or static outbuildings in Victoria Tower Gardens.”
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I thank the noble Viscount, Lord Eccles, for opening this group. I will speak to my Amendment 22, which seeks to limit the amount of time that Victoria Tower Gardens can be closed to the public as a result of events linked to the proposed Holocaust memorial and learning centre to three days a year.
The protection conferred on Victoria Tower Gardens by the original Act of 1900 was put in place to ensure access to the park as a park in perpetuity. This is particularly important to residents in the locality, many of whom live in flats and would not otherwise have access to green spaces. We cannot discuss this Bill without giving due consideration to them and what protections will be in place for them. I note that, in responding to these concerns, the Select Committee report states that limiting the closure dates of Victoria Tower Gardens is a “reasonable request”, as it particularly affects residents who use it on a weekly basis.
Continue reading “Holocaust Memorial Bill: Bishop of St Albans tables amendments”
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