funding – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asks about county council funding

The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked a question on 14th February 2024 concerning the issue of funding for county councils, drawing on an example from Suffolk County Council and stressing the need for advance communication of finances to allow for forward planning:

The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: My Lords, may I return to the issue of reforming the model? I have recently been caught up in discussions with Suffolk County Council about funding cuts it was making to its arts programmes. That drew me into detailed discussions about what its priorities were and the challenges it was facing. It said that two things would make a huge difference. The first was knowing further in advance what it might receive; it was looking for a three-year projection. The second was for the groundwork for the reform to which the Minister has been referring to be done now, rather than in the future.

Bishop of Durham asks about public finances

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 7th April 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government whether they applied the Family Test to the measures set out in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Statement on 23 March; and if so, what their conclusions and mitigations were.

Bishop of Leeds asks question on funding for Welsh authorities

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the funding given to Welsh authorities to deal with the remediation and repair of coal tips in the country on 19th January 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, the Minister has referred a couple of times to the funding to the Welsh authorities as “adequate”. Can he enlighten us as to how adequacy is defined?

Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con): I will define what I see as being adequate. The Welsh Government have more than enough to deal with the very important subject of coal-tip safety.

Hansard

Dormant Assets Bill: Bishop of Ely supports creation of community wealth funds on behalf of the Bishop of Newcastle

On 16th November 2021, the House of Lords debated the Dormant Assets Bill in the report stage. The Bishop of Ely, on behalf of the Bishop of Newcastle, spoke in support of an amendment to the bill which would support the creation of community wealth funds to assist deprived communities in reducing inequality and improving local infrastructure:

The Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Bassam, is correct that my friend the Bishop of Newcastle has made her valedictory speech, but I have been permitted to speak on her behalf. Noble Lords may have noticed a certain discrepancy in height and volume between me and the Bishop of Newcastle but she is living proof that stature has nothing to do with size. I applaud my friend for her significant role as a Lord Spiritual and a community leader in Newcastle; the city has honoured her with the freedom of the city in recognition of her work.

In support of the amendment, we would like to say that the creation of community wealth funds, as the noble Lord, Lord Bassam, has said, will strengthen community life in left-behind communities, including many in the diocese of Newcastle. Levelling-up investment, while welcome, has been largely about hard infrastructure but we want to see more investment in social infrastructure so that our communities can flourish. It is precisely that social infrastructure which could be provided by the community wealth funds, so they are already creating confidence in communities even if the consultation is yet to happen.

Skills and Post-16 Education Bill: Bishop of Durham tables amendment to specify long term funding plans for further education

On 21st July 2021, the Bishop of Durham tabled a probing amendment to the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill which would require the government to set out a long term funding plan for further education:

The Lord Bishop of Durham:

90B: After Clause 25, insert the following new Clause—

“Long-term funding review

(1) The Secretary of State must commission a panel of experts to review of the long-term funding for skills and post-16 education.(2) The panel must consider and make recommendations about—(a) resources available for different types of technical training, further education and higher education; (b) support for disadvantaged students and those with special education needs;(c) the impact of this Act on the long-term funding for skills and post-16 education.(3) The panel must conclude their review and make a report to the Secretary of State with their findings and recommendations.(4) Within the period of one year beginning with the day on which this Act is passed, the Secretary of State must lay the panel’s report before Parliament.”Member’s explanatory statement

This is a probing amendment, intended to draw out the Government’s plans to introduce a longer-term funding settlement for FE, as called for by the Education Select Committee, prefigured in the White Paper and signalled, as the direction of travel by recent increases in core FE funding, capital funding allocations and the longer term Lifelong Learning Entitlement.

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about funding for gambling-related harm

On 3rd July 2020 the Rt Revd Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, received a written answer to a question from Baroness Barran on gambling.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL6028 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 2 July 2019 (HL Deb, cols 1344–6), and in the light of the pledge made by the Betting and Gambling Council’s five largest members this week, whether the announcement made in the July 2019 statement is now null and void; and if not, where the money has been distributed; what involvement Her Majesty’s Government had in the announcement by the Betting and Gambling Council; and why is the money no longer being distributed by the committee launched by Lord Chadlington.

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government about local council income in Luton

On 29th June Baroness Pinnock asked Her Majesty’s Government “what is their response to reports that five of the largest councils in the United Kingdom may have to issue a notice under section 114 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, as a result of a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” The Rt Revd Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, asked a follow up question focusing on local council income in Luton.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, it is not only these five councils who are facing severe challenges. Luton Borough Council in my own diocese, which is one of the most innovative and forward-looking councils in the country, owns Luton Airport. Due to the lockdown, the collapse of this income stream is resulting in a massive hole in the council’s revenue. What conversations have Her Majesty’s Government had with Luton Borough Council? What are the Government intending to do to support Luton?

Bishop of Durham asks about costs of daycare for children

Durham161117 On 16th May 2018 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler received a written answer to a question on the costs of daycare for children:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the costs and benefits of extending the 30 hours free childcare for three and four year olds to families where parents are in training to prepare for work.

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Bishop of Salisbury encourages political parties to ‘lay aside all private interests’ and deal with political party funding

On the 27th October the Bishop of Salisbury the Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam spoke in the second reading debate of Lord Tyler’s Private Members Bill, ‘Democratic Political Activity (Funding and Expenditure) Bill’. The Bishop acknowledged that the House had achieved a consensus that we have a problem with funding of political parties and he encouraged all sides of the debate to lay aside all private interests, prejudices and partial affections, to sit down together and work out what best to do.

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