coronavirus – Page 2 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Exeter asks about cost effectiveness of treating immuno-compromised patients with Evusheld medication

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 23rd January 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the cost effectiveness of Evusheld in the treatment of immuno-compromised persons with complex health needs against the cost of an admission to hospital, given the increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions and the pressure on the NHS.

Bishop of Exeter speaks in a debate on the effects of long Covid

The Bishop of Exeter spoke in a debate on the effects of long covid on 17th November 2022, focusing on the impact on rural communities:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, for securing this important and timely debate.

I will focus my remarks on the rural dimension of long Covid, which is having an impact on many people in Devon where I am privileged to serve. I am concerned about rural sustainability and the need to ensure that the Government’s levelling-up agenda is not focused exclusively on urban deprivation. Rural poverty may not show up on government statistics because it is dispersed in pockets, but it is just as real. Research suggests that structural inequalities, including poverty, are important in the development and course of Covid-19 and may form an important context for long Covid.

As far as Devon is concerned, the picture postcard view of my county beloved by holidaymakers is only half the story. The best information we have is that there are currently around 16,000 people living with long Covid in Devon and, as I am sure the noble Baroness, Lady Watkins of Tavistock, will corroborate, it is impacting on the economic life of our county.

Bishop of London asks a question about PPE allocation

The Bishop of London asked a question during a debate on Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic on 14th June 2022:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I recognise the considerable pressure that the Government, the NHS and Ministers were put under, but can the Minister tell us what is being done so that we can learn from this situation and not replicate it in the next pandemic?

Bishop of Gloucester asks about university places for disadvantaged students

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on government support for disadvantaged students seeking university places following the COVID-19 pandemic, during a debate on the effect of the pandemic on disadvantaged communities on 23rd February 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, due to the effect of the pandemic on university experience, greater numbers of young people have deferred their university places. This particularly affects students leaving school this year, as university capacity is limited. Will the Minister say what is being done so that those from deprived backgrounds seeking university places this year do not become further disadvantaged in their education and future life choices, having often been the most affected by two years of a pandemic?

Bishop of Coventry asks about vaccine equity in the UK

During a debate on a statement made to the House of Commons on ‘Living with COVID-19’ on 22nd February 2022, the Bishop of Coventry asked a question on promotion of vaccine equity:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Londesborough, earlier this afternoon your Lordships’ House considered the matter of global vaccine equity, and my sense was that, in many among the House, there was a feeling that more could be done on that front. Would the Leader say whether the Government also feel that more might be done to ensure vaccine equity in the UK itself, as an expression of the noble and laudable commitment to levelling up?

Bishop of Durham asks about conditions of vaccine donation

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 21st February 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government whether UK donations of COVID-19 vaccinations to other countries ever have conditions attached to the donation; and if so, what conditions have been placed on donations.

Bishop of London asks for hold on dismissal of unvaccinated NHS staff

The Bishop of London asked that the government consider placing a hold on legislation to dismiss any NHS staff that remained unvaccinated after April 2022, during a debate on the easing of COVID-19 restrictions on 20th January 2022:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her update. I believe that NHS staff who have not received two doses of the vaccine face dismissal from 1 April onwards. It is estimated that this will result in London losing something like 12.5% of its midwives, putting at risk the lives of pregnant women and their babies. Such a loss of staff may be thought to be justified were it not for the case that two doses of the vaccine are not understood to protect against the omicron variant of Covid-19. We shall lose precious midwives to implement a policy that has been superseded by the evolution of the virus. Will Her Majesty’s Government put the implementation of existing legislation on hold, given that it may now lead only to harm and not the good that it was designed to promote?

Bishop of Gloucester asks about global vaccine statistics

The Bishop of Gloucester asked for an update on global vaccination statistics for COVID-19 on 13th January 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: Can the Minister update us on global statistics on vaccination? This is not only about justice, equality and dignity; it is also about the fact that new variants will arise unless we address the issue of international vaccination. What are the Government doing to ensure that everyone across our world is offered full vaccination? What focus is being given to the international situation, beyond ourselves?

Bishop of Leeds asks about clergy responses to investigation into gatherings in Downing Street during COVID-19 restrictions

On 11th January 2022, during a debate on events that took place in Downing Street during a time when COVID-19 restrictions were in place, the Bishop of Leeds asked how the government would advise Bishops to respond to members of the clergy who had obeyed regulations in spite of pastoral reasons, in light of the allegations:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, could the Minister advise those of us on these Benches how we should respond to clergy, who took an enormous personal toll in having to deal with families who were not able to attend funerals or to be with their loved ones? They were very tempted to break the rules for strong pastoral reasons but did not, and they are now faced with this.

Votes: Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Entry to Venues and Events) (England) Regulations 2021

On 15th December 2021, the House of Lords voted on a motion regarding the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Entry to Venues and Events) (England) Regulations 2021. Two bishops took part in the vote:

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