environment – Page 13 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich gives maiden speech

On 16th May 2022 the Bishop of St Edmundsbury an Ipswich, Rt Revd Martin Seeley, gave his maiden speech in the House of Lords, in the debate on the Queen’s Speech.

The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich (Maiden Speech): It is a huge honour to be able to address your Lordships’ House today. I thank noble Lords for kind words and acts of welcome. I have been very struck by the kindness and warmth of the staff who work here and who have supported me in my early faltering steps. I regret that a bout of Covid last week prevented me attending at all, but I look forward to building a pattern of regular engagement in the work of this House.

I have had the joy and privilege of serving the people of the diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, which comprises most of the wonderful county of Suffolk, for the past seven years. I previously served in Scunthorpe, New York City, St Louis, Missouri, Westminster, the Isle of Dogs and Cambridge, and I simply reflect on the curious ways of the Church of England that I ended up serving a largely rural diocese.

Queen’s Speech: Bishop of Oxford speaks about levelling up and the environment

On 11th May 2022, the House of Lords debated the Queen’s Speech. The Bishop of Oxford spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, it is a privilege to share in this debate, and I thank the Minister for her careful and thoughtful introduction. I particularly look forward to the maiden speech of my colleague, the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Guildford. I have heard him speak before, and it is always a profitable experience.

I congratulate the Government warmly on the priority given to the levelling-up agenda and the ambition of 11 of the 12 missions outlined in the White Paper. I know from my seven years as Bishop of Sheffield that the gap between different parts of the country has been widening for many years, and it is very good that this is being addressed.

Church Commissioners’ Question Time, 10 March 2022

On 10th March 2022 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons, freedom of religion or belief overseas, family hubs, supporting Ukrainian refugees, affordable housing, the Queen’s platinum jubilee, and the Commissioners’ Scottish landholdings.

Global Summit: Freedom of Religion or Belief

Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne) (Con): What role the Church of England has in supporting the global summit to promote freedom of religion or belief, to be hosted by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in July 2022. (905957)

The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous): The Church is making every effort to support that important summit to promote freedom of religion or belief. A debate was held on the lack of global religious freedom at last month’s General Synod and I am pleased that my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), in her capacity as the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, was able to brief Synod members on the huge cost of following Jesus in many parts of the world.

Bishop of Leeds asks about environmental consequences of increased use of lithium ion batteries

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question about plans for disposal of lithium ion batteries as more of them come to be used in e-bikes and scooters, during a debate on safety standards on 3rd March 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, however these things are regulated, we are building up a massive resource of batteries that one day will have to be disposed of, with the environmental risks that they bring as well. What assessment have the Government made of how in the long term we will deal with what could before too long become a problem?

Bishop of St Albans asks about allocation of funds for land management schemes

On 16th December 2021, during a debate on environmental land management schemes, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the allocation of funds:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I declare my interest as president of the Rural Coalition. Can the Minister confirm that the funds allocated for the implementation of the Glover review are totally separate from the funds allocated for ELMS?

Bishop of Durham asks about droughts in Lesotho

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 10th December 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the droughts in Lesotho; and what steps will they take to ensure that those living there have enough water to maintain hydroelectric power.

Bishop of St Albans asks about purchasing of agricultural land for tree-planting

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 3rd December 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, (1) to investigate the purchase of agricultural farmland by multinational companies for the purpose of planting trees to offset carbon emissions, and (2) to prevent agricultural farm land being purchased for such purposes.

Bishop of Exeter asks about rising sea levels on the Solomon Islands

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 25th November 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked Her Majesty’s Government:

what assessment they have made of rising sea levels on the Solomon Islands.
how much financial support they provided to the Solomon Islands in (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020.
what support they have offered to the Solomon Islands to mitigate risks from rising sea levels.

Bishop of Exeter makes his maiden speech in debate on climate change interventions

On 18th November 2021, the Bishop of Exeter made his maiden speech in the House of Lords during a debate on interventions to tackle climate change following the COP 26 Summit, speaking on experiences from his diocese and the wider church community:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, arriving as Bishop of Exeter eight years ago, I have become a Devonian by adoption and grace. Although proud of my Essex roots, I now know that the only way is Devon.

As I listen to Devonshire farmers grappling with environmental land management schemes or residents in south Devon who are increasingly anxious about coastal erosion, or engage with scientists at the Met Office in Exeter, I am conscious of the urgency and immensity of the task confronting us.

In scripture, we learn that Joseph—of technicolour dreamcoat fame—interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams of times of plenty and times of famine and advised Pharaoh to prudence in managing the nation’s resources, and we know that Noah heard God’s voice warning him of a devastating flood. Today’s prophets are the scientists and environmentalists who present us with stark choices that demand action.

Bishop of Ely speaks in debate on COP26 Conference, urging commitment to tackling climate change

On 18th November 2021, the Bishop of Ely spoke in a debate following the conclusion of the COP26 conference on climate change, urging that the UK match their commitments with action on protecting the environment for future generations:

The Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, on her opening speech. To pick up on her football analogy, we will all be familiar with the football commentary, “They think it’s all over”. It was not over until the surprise and hoped for goal came. We are looking for that goal with passion, which is why we are encouraged by the passion and commitment that came through so strongly from the Minister and from Mr Sharma throughout COP 26. It has built my confidence that the momentum will not be lost, and our remaining presidency will be no less crucial for the future of this planet than the conference itself. I applaud the Minister for his work on deforestation, and I commend further work on sufficient soil improvement, both in this country and overseas, which will provide the best carbon capture.

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