Tag: Gloucester

Bishop of Gloucester responds to Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

The House of Lords debated the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 29th November 2022

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, growth is good and necessary, and it is clear that money does not grow on those proverbial trees. We find ourselves in extremely challenging times, and it seems to me that some of the measures that are set out in the Autumn Statement are prudent and necessary to rebalance the budget. I thank the Government for their desire to focus on supporting the poorest households, which is right and just, including their decision to increase benefits in line with inflation. Yet I have a number of concerns. I want to use my time to focus on just two key issues: first, food and feeding people, and, secondly, the criminal justice system. I declare an interest both as a trustee of Feeding Britain and as Anglican Bishop for prisons in England and Wales.

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about implementation of the Lammy Review

On 28th November 2022, the Bishop of Gloucester asked what progress the government had made towards implementing the recommendations of the 2017 Lammy Review:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made towards implementing the Lammy Review, published on 8 September 2017.

Lord Bellamy (Con, Ministry of Justice): My Lords, the Lammy Review, which the Government warmly welcomed, made 35 recommendations and the Government undertook actions in respect of 33 of them; only two others relating to the judiciary were left on one side. We have now completed 29 out of the 33, and outstanding actions continue in respect of the remaining four. Since the Lammy Review in 2017, our work has evolved considerably and the Government’s Inclusive Britain strategy, published in March this year, is central to this work.

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about calls to the Healthy Start Scheme helpline

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 16th November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what were the (1) average, and (2) longest, waiting times for calls made to the Healthy Start helpline in each of the most recent six months for which data are available.

Lord Markham (Con): The following table shows the average and longest waiting times in hours, minutes and seconds for calls to the Healthy Start helpline in each of the last six months for which data is available:

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about localising the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 7th November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government:

  • what assessment they have made of the potential merits of enabling local or regional authorities to influence or control the allocation of School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme budgets for their area.
  • what consideration they have given to reforming the School Fruit and Vegetable scheme (1) to strengthen local procurement strategies, and (2) to enhance the supply of (a) seasonal, or (b) organic, produce to schools.
  • what consideration they have given to enabling local authorities to have a role, on an initial pilot basis, in allocating funding from the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme in their area.
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Bishop of Gloucester asks about Healthy Start Scheme

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 7th November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government how many recipients of Healthy Start vouchers are not in receipt of prepaid cards despite remaining eligible for the scheme.

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about the Healthy Start Scheme

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 1st November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government whether, and if so when, the Department for Work and Pensions will resume the sharing of Healthy Start take-up data with the Department of Health and Social Care.

Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con): DWP are working with DHSC to make data available by the end of 2022.

Hansard

The Bishop of Gloucester pays tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

On 10th September 2022 the House of Lords met to hear tributes to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whose death had been announced. The Bishop of Gloucester paid tribute:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, we have heard many wonderful tributes to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Like others, I want to give thanks for her life of service, love and humility, rooted in her faith in Jesus Christ. I am delighted that the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of York mentioned those jigsaws and those barbecues in winter. The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of London, in a moving and poignant way, mentioned the experience of paying homage. I want to add one slightly amusing story to the wealth of tributes that relate to paying homage because, as has been said, our late Queen had an amazing smile and a great sense of humour.

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about life imprisonment

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 5th September 2022:

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

  • how many people received a life sentence and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002.
  • how many people received a life sentence with a tariff of between 10 years to less than 15 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40–49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002.
  • how many people received a life sentence with a tariff of between 15 years to less than 20 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002.
  • how many people received a life sentence with a tariff of between 20 years to less than 25 years, and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29, (5) 30 to 34, (6) 35 to 39, (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (10) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing in each year since 2002.
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Bishop of Gloucester asks about heating in rural areas

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 5th September 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to help households in rural communities move away from higher cost fuel sources for heating.

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about the Healthy Start scheme

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 5th September 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish data on the take-up of the Healthy Start scheme among eligible families in April 2022.

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