Tag: flooding

Church Commissioner question on flooding in Blackburn

On Wednesday 13th January  2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, the Rt Hon Caroline Spelman, answered two written questions about support from churches in the Blackburn Diocese to flood victims and the damage to churches in the diocese caused by floods.

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, which Anglican churches within the Diocese of Blackburn were damaged by flooding in December 2015; and what the extent of damage to each such church was.

Caroline SpelmanMrs Caroline Spelman: Within the Diocese of Blackburn seven churches and churchyards, the diocesan retreat house at Whalley Abbey and three Church of England primary schools were damaged by floodwater. Many have also found that the boilers and heating systems have been damaged beyond repair and extensive programmes of works will need to be undertaken to both dry the buildings out and restore or replace furniture, carpets and school materials.

Reports of damage are still being registered across the Dioceses of Blackburn, Carlisle, Manchester, West Yorkshire and the Dales and York. To date 129 church properties have registered substantial damage from the December storms with our insurers, though I expect that figure to rise. The Cathedral and Church Buildings Council of the Church of England will be working with the dioceses to develop robust disaster management and recovery plans and flood adaptation measures for churches and other buildings. Continue reading “Church Commissioner question on flooding in Blackburn”

Bishop of Portsmouth speaks on floods

On 7th December 2015 a statement from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on flooding in the north of England was repeated in the House of Lords. The Bishop of Portsmouth responded:

BishPortsspeechtaxcreditsThe Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, I apologise to the House and in particular to the noble Baroness, Lady Parminter, and the Minister for my earlier ill-timed intervention. I add an expression of my compassion and sympathy, and the assurance of my prayers, to all those whose lives and livelihoods have been affected and particularly to the families of those who died.

The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Carlisle lives in Keswick so has seen for himself the terrible problems caused by these storms. I know that the House will appreciate that he cannot be in his place today. In the past 10 years we have seen in Cumbria three so-called once-in-a-lifetime flooding events. Does the Minister believe that there may be a category problem here, and that some redefinition may be appropriate? Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth speaks on floods”

Bishop of St Albans asks questions on homelessness and the Somerset Rivers Authority

On 2nd March 2015, the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, received answers to written questions on the Somerset Rivers Authority and homelessness.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to ensure that the legislative process of making the Somerset Rivers Authority a precepting body progresses in order for it to be established by April 2016.

Lord De Mauley (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs): The Somerset Rivers Authority, Defra and the Department for Communities and Local Government are currently undertaking a review to identify a long-term, local funding solution for the Somerset Rivers Authority from 2016/17.

The review will look into all possible funding options and how they could be implemented.

(Via Parliament.uk)

Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review their policies and resources which support relationships, in the light of recent research by Ipsos Mori on behalf of the Salvation Army which suggests that relationship breakdown is the most common cause of homelessness.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Communities and Local Government): This Government has increased spending to prevent homelessness, making over £500 million available to help the most vulnerable in society and have kept strong protections to guard families against the threat of homelessness. As part of this funding we have maintained investment in local authority homelessness prevention services, providing £320 million since 2010/11 which has helped local authorities to prevent over 730,000 cases of homelessness. Almost 38,000 of these were helped to stay in their home through mediation and conciliation schemes.

Bishop of St Albans – Flood Control (Written Answer)

On 29th January 2015, the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, received an answer to a written question on flood control.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure long-term support and funding for flood prevention schemes. [HL3997]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley): This Government has developed a six-year programme of work, involving over 1,400 projects, to improve defences throughout the country between 2015 and 2021. This has been made possible by our record level of commitment by investing £2.3 billion in improving defences over the coming six years. Efficiency gains will ensure this funding goes even further. This work is projected to reduce the risk of flooding or erosion to at least 300,000 households by 2021, and avoid around £30 billion in economic damages.

(via Parliament.uk)

Bishop of St Albans – Written Answers (Egypt, prostitution and the Somerset Rivers Authority)

On 15th January 2015, the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, received answers to written questions on the subjects of religious freedom in Egypt, prostitution and the Somerset Rivers Authority.

Egypt

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Egypt on behalf of Mohammed Hegazy. [HL3910]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Anelay of St Johns): We are concerned about the case of Mr Mohammed Hegazy, who converted to Christianity in 1998. We raised Mr Hegazy’s case at official level with the Egyptian Embassy in London on 7 January. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans – Written Answers (Egypt, prostitution and the Somerset Rivers Authority)”

Flooding: Written Question

On 27th March 2014, the Bishop of St Albans received an answer to a written question on flooding.

Flooding – Question14.03 Bishop of St Albans

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the recent and ongoing flooding, they plan to reconsider their 2010 decision to remove the duty on local authorities to produce climate adaptation plans. Continue reading “Flooding: Written Question”

Floods – Church Commissioners’ Written Answer

On 25th February 2014, Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Sir Tony Baldry MP, answered a written question from Anne McIntosh on floods.

Tony Baldry MPMiss McIntosh: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, what work the Church Commissioners are undertaking to support flooded communities and farmers.

Sir Tony Baldry: Following my comments to the House on 13 February 2014, Official Report, column 1010, the Church Urban Fund have launched a ‘Flood Appeal Fund’. This follows highly successful funds set up in 2000 and the year 2007 where the Church Urban Fund and the Church of England co-ordinated the collection of money to help support flood victims and businesses. Continue reading “Floods – Church Commissioners’ Written Answer”

MPs QUESTIONS TO CHURCH COMMISSIONERS: Overseas visits, Bath and Wells, church buildings, credit unions and flooding

In Church Commissioners’ question time in the House of Commons on 13th February 2014, Sir Tony Baldry MP was asked by MPs to answer questions on overseas visits by Archbishops, the residence of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the use of church buildings, credit unions and flooding. 

14.01 CCQ Baldry

Transcript (via Parliament.uk):

Continue reading “MPs QUESTIONS TO CHURCH COMMISSIONERS: Overseas visits, Bath and Wells, church buildings, credit unions and flooding”

The Bishop of St Albans raises concerns about growing regional economic inequality

Baroness Wilcox asked Her Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of the levels of manufacturing activity in the United Kingdom.

The Bishop of St Albans asked a supplementary question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am sure we all want to encourage a much more robust manufacturing base in this country. An article in the Economist last week pointed out that, unlike the rest of the country, the north-east and south-west regions still saw an increase in unemployment up to the year ending November 2013. There are huge problems at the moment in the south-west, which was already facing a downturn in its tourist industry and now has floods and difficulties with trains. Is there anything the Government can do to encourage a more long-term, stronger economic and, indeed, manufacturing base in the south-west of England?

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Our industrial strategy focuses on the whole country. I note the right reverend Prelate’s point about the south-west where they are suffering so terribly from the floods. The industrial strategy has five main strands which are bearing fruit, particularly in places such as Liverpool and Tyneside, and the south-west is just as important.

(via parliament.uk)

Bishop of Worcester responds to Government statement on flooding

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I am grateful for the Minister’s Statement. As we all know, attention has rightly focused on the Somerset Levels and the terrible plight that people are enduring there, but when I left Worcester this morning the city was gridlocked as a result of the closure of the main bridge across the river and the situation remains acute. I do not want to apportion blame; I want to pay tribute to those who are working very hard and to the understanding and graciousness of the inhabitants of Worcester. However, it is true that the implications of this will be enormous, economically and from a human point of view. Can the Minister confirm that a coherent policy will be forthcoming for all the affected areas, not just those most terribly affected?

Lord De Mauley: The right reverend Prelate is absolutely right—I can confirm that. We have finite resources and must apportion them in a proper way, in accordance with priorities, and the priorities must be human life and property. While I am at the Dispatch Box, can I say that, although I have not given them credit, I know that the churches in Somerset in particular are playing a major part in helping people affected by this dreadful tragedy?

(via parliament.uk)