Tag: employment

Bishop of London asks about statutory sick pay

The Bishop of London received the following written answer on 14th December 2022:

The Lord Bishop of London asked His Majesty’s Government how many people are currently receiving statutory sick pay; how many people are eligible to receive only statutory sick pay when unwell; and how many people earn less than the lower earnings threshold, making them ineligible for statutory sick pay.

Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con): Statutory Sick Pay is administered and paid by employers, so this information is not held by the Government. Therefore, we are not able to make a robust assessment on the number of people who are currently receiving SSP.

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Church Commissioners Written Answers: Christianity – British Nationals Abroad

Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP on 9th November 2022:

Jim Shannon MP (DUP): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church of England will consider the potential merits of providing ringfenced funding to support Christians to self sustain overseas if they are denied employment due to their belief.

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Bishop of London asks about living wage for care providers

The Bishop of London asked a question about a living wage for care providers on 3rd November 2022, during a debate on “fire and rehire” practices used by employers:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, having access to secure work is key to health, not just of individuals but the community. It means sufficient wages and reliable hours. London has the highest share of care workers paid below the real living wage of any English region. What are the Government doing to encourage care providers to be living wage employers to ensure that the workers who look after us have access to secure work?

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Bishop of Oxford asks about use of surveillance technology in the workplace

The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on surveillance technology on 6th April 2022, during a debate on the introduction of a future Employment Bill:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, technology has intruded further into the world of work over the last five years. Many developments are helpful, but some are not. Almost 60% of workers now report some form of technological surveillance at work, often through so-called bossware, often introduced without consultation with unions and workers. How will the employment Bill eventually keep pace with this development, and will it introduce a statutory requirement on employers to consult and disclose the use of algorithmic and AI surveillance on employees, and protect workers from excessive surveillance by technology?

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Archbishop of Canterbury raises concerns about P&O Ferries, worker wages and security

On 22nd March 2022 the Archbishop of Canterbury responded to a statement by the Government on the behaviour of P&O Ferries towards its workers. The Archbishop raised three points relating to reporting to Parliament on progress of talks, the wages of P&O staff, and the security of services in British waters.

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Status of Workers Bill: Bishop of St Albans supports greater protection for workers

On 10th September 2021, the House of Lords debated the Status of Workers Bill in its second reading. The Bishop of St Albans spoke in support of the bill, which would seek to introduce greater protection for workers classified as “contractors” in the gig economy:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Hendy, on tabling this Private Member’s Bill. It echoes the Judaeo-Christian teaching that workers deserve proper remuneration, and I support it.

I recognise that there are many advantages in having a flexible labour market which allows for individuals to tailor their work to their lifestyles. However, I and I know many others take issue with those times when employers curtail other people’s rights in an exploitative manor to reduce benefits costs. The Taylor review’s suggestion of replacing the category of working with a more positively defined “dependent contractor” was a positive step in preventing companies from unscrupulously categorising an employee as a worker while elevating the bogus self-employed into this category along with the increased rights it affords and the national insurance contributions that would accompany it.

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Bishop of Oxford asks about skill-building for young people post pandemic

The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on government efforts to help young people build skills and knowledge to ensure they are able to access careers following the COVID-19 pandemic on 16th June 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, during their working lives this generation will face the full implications of not only the Covid pandemic but the fourth industrial revolution and the need to transform our economy to net zero. Young people will need to build meaningful careers, not simply survive from gig to gig. Can the Minister therefore explain where strategic thinking is happening and where policies interlock to provide the skills, employment safeguards and quality jobs, linked to national priorities, which young people will need?

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Bishop of Bristol asks about provision of information on employment rights for overseas workers

The Bishop of Bristol received the following written answer on 29th April 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol asked Her Majesty’s Government how many bids were received from organisations to provide information sessions on employment rights for overseas domestic workers; whether any of the bids have been successful; and when they expect the sessions to begin.

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Bishop of Worcester asks about sourcing NHS pay rises

The Bishop of Worcester asked a question on tackling inefficiencies in NHS resources to provide for future pay rises for health workers, during a discussion on the NHS pay review on 9th March 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I appreciate the immense, unprecedented and unforeseen pressure that the Government are under as they struggle with the devastating effects of the pandemic on public finances. At the same time, as has been noted, we all want to recognise the huge debt of gratitude that we owe to nurses and other health workers. Recognising that would best be done by a pay increase. We are told that a 1% increase is all that can be afforded. Can the Minister comment on whether he thinks tackling the estimated £2 billion lost annually through inefficiencies related to unnecessary A&E attendance and GP consultations might give more wriggle room?

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Response to the Budget from the Bishop of Birmingham


03/03/2021

Following the Budget speech, the Bishop of Birmingham, David Urquhart, Convenor of the Bishops in the House of Lords, said:

“This is a time of great uncertainty, and while the Chancellor has rightly focussed on steps to get the economy moving, I’m concerned he has missed the chance to give certainty to those people and families who rely on Universal Credit, by not making the £20 uplift permanent.

“I’ll look at the details of the Budget closely for measures that will help the poorest and most vulnerable, especially access to sustainable jobs. The £19m for Domestic Abuse programmes is welcome as is support for schools to help get children back on the road of educational discovery. The lack of detail on social care is, however, a worry.

“The £300m additional funding for the Culture Recovery Fund is very welcome and will support the many small businesses and independent contractors our churches employ and support. I also note that the Levelling Up Fund prospectus specifically mentions cultural and heritage assets, including churches, and we look forward to churches and cathedrals particularly in areas of high deprivation taking part in this programme.”

Source: CofE website