ethics and standards – Page 2 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Leeds asks about role of Fujitsu company in UK Emergency Alert Procedures:

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the nature of the Japanese company Fujitsu’s role in the UK’s emergency alert procedures on 19th April 2023, during a debate on the suitability of the company’s involvement with these procedures following previous incidences of IT errors and defects in its systems:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I understand the point about following procurement procedures, but can we try a different tack? What would Fujitsu have to do to make it excludable from these procedures?

Bishop of Gloucester asks about increasing the sample size of the Food & You 2 Survey

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 8th February 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to expanding the sample size for the Food Standards Agency’s Food and You 2 survey to a minimum of 10,000 households.

Bishop of Durham asks about appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary

On 27th October 2022, the Bishop of Durham asked a question about the suitability of the appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, in response to a Commons Urgent Question on her resignation and reappointment:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I do not come at this from any party-political angle. The question in my mind is this. Even if all the justifications are correct—and there are big questions about that—was it wise, in seeking to offer integrity and leadership, to appoint someone so rapidly who had raised so many questions about whether she was suitable to hold the office?

Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con): Ms Braverman apologised. She resigned from a great office of state. She accepted the remedies of the Ministerial Code. Things then moved on at great speed. We have different circumstances. We have a Government who need to deliver for the British people in difficult economic circumstances. She needs to be able to play her part in making our borders safer and better, and she needs the support of this House.

Hansard

Bishop of Leeds asks about standards in public life

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on 5th July 2022, during exchanges in the Lords about standards in public life and the conduct of the Prime Minister:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, if standards in public life are being upheld, what could we expect to see if public ethics were being corrupted and standards were not being upheld?

Bishop of Blackburn on standards of behaviour and integrity in political life

On 23rd June 2022 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Morse, “That this House takes note of the impact on the democratic process of any reduction in the standards of behaviour and honesty in political life.”

The Lord Bishop of Blackburn: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Morse, for this debate because it gives us the opportunity to speak here about what the country is talking about: a general concern about behaviour and honesty in political life, and I trust, therefore, about the institution of Parliament and democracy. It raises the key question: are there standards and values that govern and guide our way of life and our dealing with one another? If so, what are they are where do they come from? Or is there a vacuum in which everyone decides what is right in their own eyes? I would argue that, without a moral framework, we are bound and dictated to by those who shout the loudest and make their voices heard. That is a dangerous path to go down.

Bishop of St Albans asks about integrity in public life

The Bishop of St Albans asked the following question on 16th June 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, at a time when public trust in the integrity of the Government and public life is being deeply damaged, would it not make sense for the successor of the noble Lord, Lord Geidt, to be appointed by an independent body rather than by the Prime Minister?

Bishop of Durham asks about trust in the Prime Minister

On 31st January 2022, during a debate on the Sue Gray report concerning the events in Downing Street during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Bishop of Durham raised the question of trust in the Prime Minister:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I thank the Leader for all she has done so far. I spend time talking to children, and sometimes they cut to the chase. Last week, year 6 children in primary schools said to me, “Do you trust the Prime Minister? Can we trust him?” They were not interested in parties, civil servants and special advisers. It was: can we trust the Prime Minister?

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Con): As the Statement makes clear, the Prime Minister has said to the people of this country that he knows the issue is trust and that we are a Government who can be trusted to deliver. He also understands that we need to work tirelessly to prove that.

Hansard

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.

Bishop of Oxford speaks in debate on ethics and standards in public life

On 9th September 2021, the Bishop of Oxford spoke in a debate on ethics and standards in public life, emphasising the need for support, education and training in order to for those in public life to meet standards:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, it is a great privilege to take part in this debate and to follow the noble Lords who have spoken. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Blunkett, for his leadership and introduction. I learned a great deal from the noble Lord while Bishop of Sheffield.

I suggest that improving standards in public life is a three-cornered stool. One leg of that stool is being neglected in the public conversation. It is right that we have the highest possible principles and standards. The Nolan principles have stood the test of time and I support their application to people and their extension to areas of technology. They are the first important leg. The second leg is the way in which we hold one another to account on those principles, which is where I guess that the majority of this debate will be focused. Others are better qualified to speak on this than me. Those ways need to be thorough and consistent with the Nolan principles.

There is an important third leg to this stool, which I want to call formation and support. How do we intentionally grow a community of diverse public servants who are ethically formed and equipped, and have the inner capacity to be honest, open, objective, accountable and selfless? How do we form boards and cultures which are able to work in those ways? They do not simply happen. How do we offer ongoing support and learning to those who exercise high public office and have to cope with greater and greater complexity, pressure and temptation?

Votes: Conduct Committee Report

On 20th July 2021, two Bishops took part in votes in the House of Lords on reports on the conduct of several members of the House, regarding completion of the “Valuing Everyone” training mandated by the House of Lords Code of Conduct.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: