On Tuesday 7th July the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received a written reply to a question on Burma.
The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Myanmar concerning the Population Control Health Care Law and how it can be implemented in a nondiscriminatory way. [HL864]
Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks about human rights and religious tolerance in Burma”
“A no vote on the EU would hasten the demise of the Union and lead within a generation to a rump nation shorn of Scotland and of membership of the EU and without strategic influence internationally.”- Bishop of Leicester, 1/6/15
On 1st June 2015 the Bishop of Leicester, Rt Rev Tim Stevens, spoke in the debate on the Queen’s Speech, on constitutional, human rights, local government, devolution and welfare reform issues. The full text of his speech is below and it can also be watched online here.
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, as the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, has reminded us, the Prime Minister has offered us what he calls,
“a clear programme for working people, social justice, and bringing our country together—put simply, a One Nation Queen’s Speech from a One Nation Government”.
It is therefore clearly our responsibility to evaluate the Government’s programme against that yardstick, and to measure the gracious Speech on its potential for national unity and social justice, at every point. Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester speaks on constitutional reform, devolution, human rights and welfare in debate on Queen’s Speech”
“We need a more adequate humanitarian response to the human suffering resulting from the conflict, and to support and strengthen the efforts of the churches and faith communities of Ukraine for justice and peace.” – Bishop of St Albans, 24/3/15
On 24th March 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, took part in a debate tabled by Lord Tugendhat “that this House takes note of the Report of the European Union Committee on The EU and Russia: before and beyond the crisis in Ukraine (6th Report, HL Paper 115)”.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I add my congratulations on the maiden speech of the noble Earl, Lord Oxford and Asquith, and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Tugendhat, for securing this debate, which provides a valuable space in which to explore the multifaceted and fast-changing situation in the region. The EU Committee’s report has opened a welcome opportunity to reassess the UK’s relationship with both Russia and Ukraine on a bilateral level and as part of the EU. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans highlights role of churches in building peace and stability in Ukraine”
On 12th February 2015, the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, received an answer to a written question on the subject of press freedom in Egypt.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Egypt, following the release of Peter Greste, on behalf of Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. [HL4586]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Anelay of St Johns): The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), make regular representations to the Egyptian government to press them to take further action to ensure the release of other journalists from prison, to release political detainees and to relax restrictions on civil society. The Foreign Secretary made a press statement on 2 February welcoming the release of Peter Greste but stating his concern that Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed remain in detention. He called on the Egyptian authorities to review their cases and the sentences of those tried in absentia as a matter of urgency. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans – Egypt (Written Answer)”
“The Church of England schools’ commitment to this aim is seen in the breadth of our holistic educational vision. We seek to conceive of education as developing children’s creativity and awareness of the world around them—of course, we are not alone in that. To fit students for a life of active civic engagement, and not just to learn facts, is what education should be about.”
On 20th November 2014, Baroness Kidron led a debate in the House of Lords to take note of the impact of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on children’s and young people’s online and digital interactions. The Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Revd John Inge, took part in the debate, which was timed to mark the 25th anniversary of the Convention. The Bishop spoke about the ability of online education resources to release the talents of all children, noting the Church of England’s commitment to a holistic educational vision in its schools. He also highlighted some of the risks associtated with young people using the internet and supported calls for the government to review how the UNCRC can be applied to the context of these online and digital interactions.
The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I begin by echoing the congratulations offered to the noble Baroness, Lady Shields, on an excellent maiden speech. I join her in applauding the wonderful work in this area of the noble Baroness, Lady Kidron, to whom I am also grateful for providing the House with an opportunity to take stock of the changes wrought over the past couple of decades by the growth of the internet and evolution of digital technologies—on this auspicious day, 25 years since the establishment of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which coincides, as she pointed out, with the beginning of the development of the internet. What a different world we live in now that the convention has come of age. It behoves us to consider the new cultural landscape in which we find ourselves, in which 81% of 12 to 15 year-olds use the internet every day. Continue reading “Bishop of Worcester takes part in debate on relationship between children’s rights and internet use”
On 11th August 2014, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received answers to four written questions on the situation in Iraq. The questions were originally tabled on 28th July 2014. Further questions regarding resettlement of vulnerable groups in the UK are expected to receive answers in due course.
The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the state of freedom of religion and belief in Iraq.
Lord Popat (Con): We are deeply concerned about the situation in Iraq including freedom of religion and belief. We condemn the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) threats to ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq, including Christian, Yezidi and Turkomen and the desecration of mosques and churches by ISIL. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the member for Bournemouth East ( Mr Ellwood), met Archbishop Athanasius of the Syriac Orthodox Church in London on 29 July and issued a statement strongly condemning the persecution of Christians and other minorities in Iraq. Our Ambassador in Baghdad has met religious representatives, including Chaldean Patriarch Luis Sako, and the Consul General in Erbil has met the Archbishop of Erbil and the Archbishop of Mosul to discuss the current situation, the needs of the Christian community, and UK humanitarian assistance to those displaced by fighting in Iraq. On Sunday 3 August, the British Chargé d‘Affaires attended a service at St George’s Anglican Church in Baghdad, joined by officials from our Embassy, to highlight the British Government’s continued support to Christians and other minorities affected by recent violence in Iraq. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry receives answers to written questions on current situation in Iraq”
On 30th July 2014, Lord Stevenson of Balmacara led a debate in the House of Lords on the motion ‘that the Grand Committee takes note of the Bilateral Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments between the United Kingdom and Colombia’.
The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Steven Croft, spoke during the debate, raising the issues of land ownership rights, protection of the human rights of indigenous Colombian people and the need for a monitoring system.
The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I shall speak briefly to support and echo the excellent remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, and the points made by other noble Lords on the dangers posed by this treaty, in three specific areas. Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield on UK trade with Colombia and human rights”
On 30th July 2014 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Rev Alan Smith, received a written reply from Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi to a question about human rights in South Sudan.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having to ensure that allegations raised in the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan human rights report of 8 May are being addressed.[HL1307] Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans raises human rights abuses in South Sudan”
“…the local Christian diocese has to shoulder most of the burden of caring for people who are in desperate need, and of attempting to feed them when its own resources are pitifully small. Have Her Majesty’s Government given any consideration to providing aid, and so helping to meet people’s basic human rights to food and drink, through the church in that part of Sudan? Heroic efforts are being made to alleviate desperate need, but funding is urgently required” – Bishop of Carlisle, 14.7.14
On 14th July 2014, Baroness Cox led a short debate in the House of Lords to ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of human rights in the Republic of Sudan. The Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Revd James Newcome, took part in the debate. He spoke about the dire humanitarian situation in the country and the increasing role being played by the church; and also highlighted a number of instances of persecution on the grounds of religious beliefs, urging the Government to put pressure on the Republic of Sudan to respect and promote Article 18 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, I, too, am most grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Cox. Unlike her, I cannot claim to be an expert on Sudan, but some of my colleagues who would normally speak on this issue have been unavoidably detained today in another debate of some importance to the church at the General Synod in York. I am very grateful for this opportunity to contribute to this debate because the human rights issues it raises are of such enormous significance, not only for the individuals directly concerned but for the way in which we direct our foreign aid and conduct our foreign policy. Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle calls for Government action to tackle religious persecution in Republic of Sudan”
“Instances of violence and physical intimidation against Coptic Christians remain disturbingly high. Police investigations are haphazard and prosecutions rare. In addition to the targeted attacks against Christians, we are, sadly, witnessing a predictable return to the subtler, pernicious problems of the Sadat-Mubarak era” – Bishop of Coventry, 26.6.14
On 26th June 2014, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, led a short debate to ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the human rights situation in Egypt. In his opening speech, the spoke of the need for the Government to assist Egypt to significantly improve its human rights record, and how the current situation in Egypt has left the liberties of its people severely restricted. He cautioned against a focus of diplomatic efforts on political stability to the detriment of issues of human rights and dignity and the freedom of religious expression.
The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, the recent presidential election in Egypt and the subsequent inauguration of former Field Marshal Sisi as president make this a very timely debate. This week’s visit of the United States Secretary of State to Cairo, as well as the conviction of the three Al-Jazeera journalists, casts a spotlight on the human rights situation in Egypt. The return of the strongman to Egypt once again brings to centre stage the classic dilemma of how we navigate between interests and values in our foreign policy. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry leads House of Lords debate on the human rights situation in Egypt”
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