The Bishop of Newcastle received the following written answer on 15th May 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle asked His Majesty’s Government:
On 8th February 2024, the Bishop of Bristol spoke in a debate on a report from the Communications and Digital Committee on digital exclusion, emphasising the impact of lack of digital access on children:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Lipsey, whose speech imaginatively took us into the life and world of Joe Soap. I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Stowell, on securing this timely debate—timely in one sense—and I offer my thanks to all members of the Communications and Digital Committee for a thorough and wide-ranging report. I also lament the lack of a government cross-departmental strategy.
Today, I focus my comments on digital inclusion and exclusion in and around schools, about which I have a little knowledge. In 2021, UNICEF produced an excellent report on the effect of digital exclusion on schoolchildren. That report said that
“digital inclusion must be seen as the cornerstone to ensuring social justice and equitable life chances for every child”.
Those words were written while the pandemic was at its peak and the long-term impact on education was still difficult to predict.
Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol highlights negative impact of lack of digital access for children”The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate on the contribution of the arts to the economy and society on 1st February 2024, calling upon the government to both fund the arts and ensure access to arts and culture for wider groups of people:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Bragg, for securing this debate, and I am particularly glad we are debating the contribution of the arts not just to finance and the economy but to society. The arts are fundamental to human flourishing, to expanding our imaginations, to deepening our sympathies and to touching all aspects of our lives that, so often, the merely financial fails to engage with.
Of course, the arts do make a significant contribution to the wealth of this nation, and we are fortunate to be home to some of the world’s leading orchestras, musicians, playwrights, theatres, artists and galleries. In my own diocese in Hertfordshire there is a rapid expansion of studios that are attracting filmmakers from around the world, which is important. But the danger is that we do not give enough time and attention to thinking, “Where are these musicians and artists going to come from, and where are they first going to get the experience of the arts? Where are the ordinary people, in their homes and families, engaging with the sheer delight of creativity?” That is why I find it deeply sad that many young people do not have the access to artistic expression or musical education in their communities, homes, or, sadly sometimes, even in their schools.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans calls for wider access to arts and culture”The Bishop of London asked a question about accessible green spaces on 1st February 2024:
The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, it was welcome to see the introduction of funding for opening new permissive access in the latest update to the agricultural transition plan, released in January. According to the Ramblers, access to public rights of way and the time in nature that they provide is deeply unequal. Can the Minister explain how this funding will be steered towards routes that are most needed, and how she will ensure that these new routes are of sufficiently high quality to be accessible to as many people as possible?
Continue reading “Bishop of London asks about access to green spaces”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 17th October 2023:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that new builds are accessible to older people and people with disabilities.
Baroness Swinburne (Con, Department for Levelling-up, Housing & Communities): I refer the Lord Bishop to the answer given to Question UIN HL8422(opens in a new tab) on 26 June 2023.
Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs on 8th November 2022:
8th November 2022:
Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church of England has to review its exemptions under the Equality Act 2010.
Continue reading “Church Commissioner Written Answers: Equality Act exemptions and disability access in churches”On 8th September 2022, MPs put questions in the House of Commons to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP:
Ukrainian Refugees
Greg Smith (Buckingham) (Con):
1. What steps the Church is taking to help support Ukrainian refugees.
Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con):
7. What steps the Church is taking to help support Ukrainian refugees.
Andrew Selous: Six bishops and hundreds of clergy have Ukrainian evacuees living with them, and the Church of England is using vacant vicarages in a number of places. Churches are also actively involved in recruiting new hosts where needed.
Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: Ukrainian Refugees, Persecuted Christians, Holy Trinity Church Wingate, Affordable and Sustainable Housing, and Accessibility of Churches”The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on government plans to build accessible homes on 17th June 2021:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, there is a real risk that the proposed changes to the planning process could mean that fewer accessible homes are built for older and disabled people. Research from the housing association Habinteg reveals that more than half of all local plans make no requirements for new homes to meet any accessible housing standard. Fewer accessible houses are being planned now compared with 2019. What plans do Her Majesty’s Government have to ensure that more homes are built to accessible and adaptable standards?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about plans to build accessible homes”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 22nd March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish a summary of responses to their Raising accessibility standards for new homes consultation, which closed on 1 December 2020.
Lord Greenhalgh (Con, MHCLG): The Government response to the consultation on raising accessibility standards for new homes will be published later this year and it will include a summary of responses.
The Church of England in Parliament 
You must be logged in to post a comment.