Tag: drugs

Bishop of Rochester raises disproportionate use of stop and search against black people

On 13th June 2016 Baroness Meacher asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether they have any plans to review their drug policies in the light of the United Nations statements at the UN General Assembly Special Session on 19-21 April.” The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, asked a follow up question:

RochesterThe Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, I note the Minister’s disinclination to institute a review. None the less, I wonder whether he could assure the House that in some context or other, attention is being given to such matters as the information in a report by the charity Release published in 2013, which shows that black people were stopped and searched for drugs at more than six times the rate of white people, despite successive crime surveys showing that drug use in black communities is at a lower rate than in white communities? Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester raises disproportionate use of stop and search against black people”

Bishop of Bristol supports measures to protect children and young people from targeting by drug dealers

Bishop of Bristol June 2015On the 14th July 2015 the Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Mike Hill, spoke in support of an amendment he had co-sponsored with Lord Kirkwood to the Government’s Psychoactive Substances Bill, to strengthen as an offence the supply or offering to supply psychoactive substances on or near children’s homes and schools. The amendment was not out to a vote following assurances received from the Minister, Lord Bates.

Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol supports measures to protect children and young people from targeting by drug dealers”

Psychoactive Substances Bill – Bishop of Peterborough supports measures to tackle supply of drugs in prison and to children

On 30th June 2015 the House of Lords considered amendments to the Government’s Psychoactive Substances Bill. The Bishop of Peterborough, Rt Revd Donald Allister, spoke in support of amendments designed to strengthen measures to tackle supply of drugs in prison and to children. Further information and the other speech, by the Bishop of St Albans, can be seen here.

14.02 PeterboroughThe Lord Bishop of Peterborough: My Lords, I support the aggravated category for prisons and the particularly vulnerable children who are, in one way or another, in care. I am very grateful for what the Minister said about having a meeting on children in care. That is good and I am happy to accept it, but from my fairly regular visiting of prisons in my diocese—I have visited the four that were there but two of them are now closed—I know that the great majority of prisoners are themselves highly vulnerable and need to be treated as such. Continue reading “Psychoactive Substances Bill – Bishop of Peterborough supports measures to tackle supply of drugs in prison and to children”

Bishop of St Albans speaks in support of stronger measures to protect children from drug dealers

On 30th June 2015 the House of Lords considered amendments to the Government’s Psychoactive Substances Bill. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith,  spoke in support of an amendment from Lord Kirkwood, co-sponsored by the Bishop of Bristol. The amendment sought to make the supply of psychoactive substances to children under the age of 18, or in the vicinity of premises where vulnerable children reside, an aggravating factor of an offence. The amendment was withdrawn after the debate, with the Minister, Lord Bates, promising to meet with the Bishop to discuss it further.

Bishop St Albans June 2015The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, my colleague the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Bristol is very sorry that he cannot be here, but I have spoken to him and am keen to add a few words of support for these amendments. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans speaks in support of stronger measures to protect children from drug dealers”

Psychoactive Substances Bill – Committee Stage

On 23rd June 2015 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Psychoactive Substances Bill during its first day in committee. The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Mike Hill, made a brief intervention during the debate on an amendment about legalisation of certain drugs, tabled by Lord Howarth of Newport. Continue reading “Psychoactive Substances Bill – Committee Stage”