The Bishop of Bristol received the following written answer on 15th March 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office on 7 October 2020 (96911), what further plans they have to publish guidance on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme.
Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks about EU Settlement Scheme”The Bishop of Bristol received the following written answer on 4th February 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol asked Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Uganda about reports (1) of intimidation, (2) that that government restricted access to online services and social media, and (3) of other irregularities, during the general election in that country on 14 January.
Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks about elections in Uganda”
The Bishop of Bristol asked a question on equipping those tackling domestic abuse to understand faith contexts on 19th January 2021, following a government statement on Domestic Abuse and Hidden Harms during Lockdown:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol [V]: My Lords, I, too, express my thanks to the Government for their work on domestic abuse issues, particularly following the announcement of “Ask for Ani”. However, as the Minister will know, there are certain issues that particularly impact minority ethnic groups and people of faith. Will the Government look to take on the recommendations of the Keeping the Faith report and seek to increase faith literacy within secular bodies so that they are equipped to respond to particular harms found within a faith context?
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The Bishop of Bristol asked a question on the costs of visas for musicians performing in the UK on 19th January 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, senior musicians I spoke to this weekend described experiences of agonising paperwork and fees, and sense that foreign promoters are already hesitant to offer engagements to UK groups. How do the Government intend to ensure that the increased costs associated with obtaining permits and administrating these tours will not, as a result, exclude all but the most privileged?
Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks about visas for touring musicians”On 18th January 2021 in the House of Lords the Bishop of Bristol asked a question about mental health, the Bishop of Coventry asked about Armenian heritage.
Meanwhile the Bishop of St Albans and the Archbishop of York received written answers to questions on gambling-related harm and Ethiopia.
Full text below.
Continue reading “Mental health, Armenia, gambling, Ethiopia”
On 13th January 2021, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill. Votes were held on the amendments, in which Bishops took part:
On 29th October Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale asked the Government, “following the deaths of at least four people in the English Channel, what steps they are taking to protect asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking who are fleeing persecution and seeking refuge in the UK.”. The Bishop of Bristol asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol [V]: My Lords, as we have already heard, the death of anyone trying to reach the UK in search of safety is tragic, and the tragedy is multiplied when it is the death of a family. Save the Children is right to say that the English Channel must not become a graveyard for children. With that in mind, can the Minister update the House on the resumption of the refugee resettlement programme which was suspended in March? Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol on migrant tragedy: English Channel must not become a graveyard for children”
On 27th October 2020 Lord Woolley of Woodford asked the Government “following the announcements of the Welsh and Scottish Governments, as well as local councils, whether they will end the free school meals postcode lottery and provide free school meals for eligible children in England during the school holidays until Easter 2021.” The Bishop of Bristol asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol [V]: My Lords, although I agree with the Government that free school meals are not the long-term solution for holiday hunger, the reality is that it is now half-term and children are going hungry. Does the Minister agree that although the current crisis demands short-term solutions, there is also a much bigger question at stake? Will she tell us what sustained support the Government will be offering to address the concerns up to Easter 2021, and their plans to tackle the underlying and increasing issues of child poverty in the longer term? Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks Government to tackle school holiday hunger and long term child poverty”
On 27th October 2020 Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate asked the Government “what steps they are taking to protect victims of domestic abuse.” The Bishop of Bristol asked as follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol [V]: My Lords, I add my voice to the concerns raised by many others in this House about how migrant women will be affected by the Domestic Abuse Bill. I thank the Government for their £1.5 million commitment to support research into the particular needs of this vulnerable group, but how many women is the scheme expected to support and what specific questions will the pilot be seeking to answer? Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks Government about plans to help migrant women suffering domestic abuse”
On 21st October 2020 three votes were held on the Government’s Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill. Members of the Lords were asked to agree with the decisions of the Commons to reject amendments they had passed to the Bill, or to propose further amendments in lieu of them. Several bishops took part:
Continue reading “Votes: Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill”
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