On 26th October 2015 the House of Lords debated a motion to approve the Government’s Tax Credits (Income Thresholds and Determination of Rates) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.
Alongside the motion to approve the House also considered four amendments to the motion, from Liberal Democrat, Crossbench and Labour Peers and one from the Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Rev Christopher Foster. Continue reading “Divisions – Tax Credit Regulations”
The Rt Revd Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester took part in two divisions during the report stage consideration of the Government’s Energy Bill on the 21st of October 2015.
The Bishop voted with the Government ‘Not Content’ to amendments 78Q and 78UA. The Government lost both divisions. His interventions can be seen here.
Division on Amendment 78Q – Contents 242; Not-Contents 190. Amendment 78Q agreed
Division on Amendment 78UA – Contents 189; Not-Contents 166. Amendment 78UA agreed
(Via Parliament.UK)
On 21st October 2015 the Rt Revd Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester, spoke a number of times during the report stage debate of the Government’s Energy Bill. The Bishop spoke to amendments relating to the future of Onshore wind power and the closure of the renewables obligation.
Continue reading “Energy Bill – Bishop of Chester on renewable energy amendments”
On 16th September 2015 the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster, spoke in a debate on the HS2 project. The Bishop questioned the business case and the impact assessment, particularly for the area covered by Chester Diocese.
The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, HS2 will pass through my diocese from south of Crewe until it reaches Manchester Airport. I read the committee’s report with great interest and was struck, above all, by the levels of uncertainty which evidently still exist around the project.
On 16th September 2015 Lord Green of Deddington asked the Government ‘what assessment they have made of the scope for those currently claiming asylum in other European Union member states subsequently to move on to the United Kingdom’. The Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster, asked a supplementary question.
The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, does the Minister think that the current European regulations are working, and indeed workable, in the face of the sheer volume of people who are seeking to migrate?
Continue reading “Bishop of Chester asks if European migration rules are working”
On the 9th September 2015 Lord Lexden asked a question to the Government about why they have no plans to amend the Civil Partnership Act 2004 to enable siblings to register as civil partners. The Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster asked a short supplementary question as a point of clarification.
The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, can the Minister confirm what I think I heard her say—that the change in the inheritance arrangements for married people and civil partners, which will enable an exemption from inheritance tax, actually applies to siblings as well? That is not how I understood the changes to apply. Continue reading “Bishop of Chester asks for clarification from Government over civil partnership and inheritance tax”
On 17th July 2015 the Bishop of Chester, Rt Revd Peter Forster, spoke during the Second Reading debate of Baroness Howe’s Online Safety Bill. The Bishop welcomed the Bill and called for further measures to help adults who are addicted to online pornography.
The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, I follow two Members of the House with very distinguished medical careers who speak with great authority, which I cannot match. However, I want to approach the subject in a slightly different way.
I join noble Lords in congratulating the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, on introducing her new and improved Bill. Though the Bill has been drafted very properly with children in mind, I want to refer to its potential relevance for adults who are struggling with pornography. I am grateful to the charity Naked Truth, which seeks to support adults caught in the net of pornography addiction, for briefing me for the debate. Continue reading “Bishop of Chester calls for strengthened regulations to combat addiction to online pornography”
On the 13th July 2015 two bishops took part in three divisions on the Government’s Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill.
Continue reading “Divisions – Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill”
On the 8th July 2015 the Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster spoke in a debate about the Anderson Report into investigatory powers. The Bishop focused his comments on the nature of privacy in a digital age and said that the limits set to our privacy must be proportionate and genuinely intended to benefit society as a whole.
On the 7th July 2015 Lord Leigh of Hurley asked Her Majesty’s Government “what is their assessment of the experience of those claiming Universal Credit”. The Bishop of Chester the Rt Revd Peter Forster asked a supplementary question.
Continue reading “Bishop of Chester asks Government about Universal Credit”
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