Tag: foreign affairs

Bishop of Coventry asks Government about financial cost of UK air strikes in Iraq and Syria

On 15th December 2015 the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received answers to two written questions to Government on the cost of air strikes in Iraq and Syria. 


Bp Coventry May 2015The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the financial cost to date of UK air strikes against Daesh in Iraq.

Earl Howe: It is not possible to separate out the costs of military action in Iraq from that of wider counter-Daesh operations due to the inter-related nature of UK military activity. The net additional cost of UK counter-Daesh operations to date is approximately £150 million. This includes around £80 million for military operations between August 2014 – 31 March 2015 and a net additional cost to date in this financial year of around £70 million. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks Government about financial cost of UK air strikes in Iraq and Syria”

Bishop of Coventry speaks in Lords debate on action against ISIL in Syria

On 2nd December 2015 the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, spoke during the House of Lords debate on ISIL in Syria. The full text of his speech is below. The Archbishop of Canterbury also spoke in the debate.

Bp Coventry May 2015The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, coming from Coventry, a city bound in solidarity of suffering with bombed cities in Europe, I am kept in daily remembrance of the costs of military action, especially to civilians. Against such costs, the benefits must be clear and the chances of success especially high. We all agree that the evil of Daesh needs to be stopped, but will extending strikes from Iraq into Syria do it? Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry speaks in Lords debate on action against ISIL in Syria”

Archbishop of Canterbury speaks in Lords debate on action against ISIL in Syria

On the 2nd December 2015 the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon. Justin Welby, spoke during the House of Lords debate on ISIL in Syria. The Archbishop’s speech is reproduced in full below and can be watched here. The Bishop of Coventry also spoke in the debate.

AbpCanterbury021215The Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I add to the welcomes given to the noble Lord, Lord Hague of Richmond, and note his perfect timing in bringing his immeasurable wisdom and experience to our debates. I look forward very much to his contribution.

To my mind, the “just war” criteria have been met. However, while they are necessary, they are not by themselves sufficient in action of this kind, where we can end up doing the right thing in such a wrong way that it becomes the wrong thing. To my mind, there are three components that currently need more emphasis and are to some extent missing. In this role, through visiting all 38 provinces of the Anglican communion, through the constant contacts that we have with Muslim and Christian leaders in the region, as recently as three weeks ago in a conference at Lambeth Palace, I am constantly reminded that this is a global issue to which we are applying local solutions. Continue reading “Archbishop of Canterbury speaks in Lords debate on action against ISIL in Syria”

Syria and military action – Archbishop of Canterbury responds to Prime Minister’s statement

On 26th November 2015 the Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Stowell, repeated in the Lords a statement given earlier in the day to the House of Commons by the Prime Minister about Syria and the possibility of military action. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, responded:

Archbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury: I thank the Leader of the House for the repetition of the Statement, and particularly the publication of the Foreign Affairs Committee report, and welcome the seriousness of the emphasis in both the Statement and the report on a comprehensive approach—the seriousness of military action but also the integration of soft and hard power, support for jobs, education, family and community life and stability, and of communities flourishing in the neighbouring countries, which comes out very strongly. The test will obviously be the total mobilisation of effort in a focused way that recognises the long-term needs of security for indigenous populations, particularly the Christian populations, which are being harried out of the area. Continue reading “Syria and military action – Archbishop of Canterbury responds to Prime Minister’s statement”

Defence review – Bishop of Leeds responds

On 23rd November 2015 the House of Lords heard repeated the Government’s statement on the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, asked a follow up question:

LeedsThe Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, would the Minister agree with me that some of the language we are using in this debate reflects an assumption that the world is binary and divided into allies and enemies? The reality is that allies become enemies, and enemies become allies. In any strategic approach to the future, could we be assured that that possibility will be taken into account? I worked on elements to do with Iraq in the 1980s, and we can see what happened in the 2000s.

Arms and resources that we sell to people who are rebels in Syria can then be used against us. Is that sort of strategic thinking about a non-binary, more eclectic world being taken into consideration?

Continue reading “Defence review – Bishop of Leeds responds”

Paris attacks – Bishop of Birmingham stresses need for community integration

On 17th November 2015 the Leader of the House of Lords repeated a statement by the Prime Minister on the Paris terrorist attacks of 13th November, and the G20 summit. The Bishop of Birmingham, Rt Revd David Urquhart, responded to the statement from the Bishops’ Benches.

Birmingham 171115The Lord Bishop of Birmingham: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for her repeating of the Statement and, from these Benches, join your Lordships in offering our sympathy for the tragic loss of life and the injuries that occurred in Paris—and, as the noble and learned Lord, Lord Wallace, said, in other parts of the region, in recent weeks.

On the area of ideology, the third of area in the Statement, can the Minister go a bit further? While we make every effort, as we must, to deal with this issue by military power and by counter-extremism measures, the area of ideas is a matter which I ask the Minister to consider very seriously in terms of quite small but important resources, as we try to develop the right relationships in the community that the Prime Minister so wants—not just asking Muslims to argue for a good Islam, but also to join people of faith, or no faith, of all parts in developing right thinking, friendship and deep relationships, which will allow us to move on from this ghastly use of violence into a more integrated society. Will she also encourage us to make a successful integration of the new wave of Syrian refugees fleeing from death in their own country? Continue reading “Paris attacks – Bishop of Birmingham stresses need for community integration”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about security of Camp Liberty

StAlbans171115On 16th November 2015, the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received written answers to questions about the security of Camp Liberty in Iraq.

Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent missile attacks on Camp Liberty in Iraq. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about security of Camp Liberty”

Bishop of Southwark raises Zimbabwe and Senegal during Lords debate on bilateral trade between UK and Africa

On 11th November 2015 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Sheikh: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to encourage more bilateral trade between the United Kingdom and African countries.” The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, spoke in the debate, raising the situation of Zimbabwe and the tax treaty between the UK and Senegal.

Bp Southwark May 2015The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Sheikh, for a debate so pertinent to the times in which we live. I, too, look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord Oates. Although my knowledge of Africa at large is somewhat limited, I am a regular visitor to Zimbabwe, with my diocese having close links to four of its five Anglican dioceses: those of Central Zimbabwe, Manicaland, Matabeleland and Masvingo. The bishops, clergy and people of those places share a good deal of the reality of their lives and faith with me, and demonstrate remarkable resilience and strong hope in the face of adversity. Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark raises Zimbabwe and Senegal during Lords debate on bilateral trade between UK and Africa”

Bishop of Southwark asks Government about progress towards a private sponsorship scheme for Syrian refugees

On 9th November 2015 Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty’s Government “how many refugees have entered the United Kingdom under the vulnerable persons relocation scheme for Syrian nationals, and what, if any, are the advantages of that scheme as compared to entry under normal immigration regulations.” The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, asked a follow-up question on progress towards implementing a private sponsorship scheme for refugees. 

BishSouthwarktaxcreditsThe Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, how close are Her Majesty’s Government to announcing the details of a third route in addition to the two mentioned in the noble Lord’s Question—namely, the introduction of a private sponsorship scheme, in which many faith and community groups have expressed strong interest? This would enable faith communities to work in partnership with the Government and reflects a desire to do this, as expressed by the Bishops in their recent letter to the Prime Minister. Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks Government about progress towards a private sponsorship scheme for Syrian refugees”

Bishop of Coventry asks about support for interreligious dialogue centre in Vienna

On 4th November 2015 the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth received a written answer to a question about support for the King Adbdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna.

Bp Coventry May 2015

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support, financial or otherwise, they have provided to the King Adbdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks about support for interreligious dialogue centre in Vienna”