employment – Page 3 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of St Albans asks about plans to encourage payment of living wages for UK employees

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 13th December 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to encourage employers to pay their employees a real living wage in light of the finding in the report, UK Poverty 2023, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on 26 January, that 11 per cent of all destitute respondents are in paid work.

Bishop of St Albans asks about structural pay gaps

On 23rd November 2023, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on addressing structural pay gaps following the Chancellor’s autumn statement:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, we on these Benches welcome a number of aspects of the announcements yesterday in the Autumn Statement, not least the rises in the living wage and in pensions. There is an issue, though, over structural pay gaps which hide even greater disparities: pay gaps to do with gender, disability, social mobility and regional disparities, which are vital as we think about our levelling-up strategy. Can the Minister give us some indication of how the Government hope to address those structural pay differentials and gaps?

Bishop of Oxford asks about effects of redundancies at British Steel plant in Scunthorpe

The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on support for those affected by redundancies at the Scunthorpe plant of British Steel on 8th November 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, many of us around this House will have experience of what happens in communities when these devastating redundancies happen. I was Bishop of Sheffield in South Yorkshire for many years and saw the effects at first hand. Can the Minister say more about the Government’s plans to invest in the area to help those affected transition through? In particular, what industries and areas of employment does he see as appropriate to the Scunthorpe area, given all the technological and industrial changes that we are seeing?

Bishop of Sheffield asks about staff employed under “umbrella companies”

The Bishop of Sheffield received the following written answer on 26th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the growth of umbrella companies, and (2) the ability of the staff of those companies, to demonstrate continuous service and accrue employee benefits and employment rights.

Bishop of Sheffield asks about employment support for people with long term health conditions

The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question about support for programmes allowing people with health conditions to find and remain in paid employment on 18th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, one such initiative that supports people with a health condition to find and remain in paid employment is called Working Win. It has been piloted in South Yorkshire, and I am assured that both the DWP and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority consider the pilot to have been a success. What plans do the Government have to roll out this health-led employment programme more widely?

Bishop of Durham asks about employment and living wage

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answers on 17th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of people employed in insecure work; and what steps they are taking to ensure that more employees have secure work.

The Earl of Minto (Con, Treasury): The Government has taken a range of steps to support people in insecure work. We have supported six Private Members’ Bills in this Parliamentary session, which will give benefits including easier access to flexible working and a more predictable working pattern.

Bishop of St Albans asks about safeguards for whistle-blowers in the NHS

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 14th September 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what safeguards exist to protect whistle-blowers in the NHS.

Lord Markham (Con, Department of Health and Social Care): Workers who blow the whistle are entitled to protections, which were introduced through the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

Bishop of Durham asks about impact of increased job search requirements for lead carers in families

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 25th July 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the book by Kate Andersen Welfare That Works for Women? Mothers’ Experiences of the Conditionality within Universal Credit, published in January, what assessment they have made of the impact on families of increasing the job search requirements for lead carers.

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Finance, Repairs and Maintenance, Technology, Religious Freedom, Diocesan Vacancies, and Education

On 14th July 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Church of England: Finance

Julian Knight MP (Ind, Solihull): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to ensure transparency and accountability in its financial operations.

Votes: Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill

On 8th June the House of Lords debated Commons amendments to the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill. Votes were held on further amendments to the bill, in which a bishop took part:

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