The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 21st May 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government whether they will increase multi-year funding to support the most food-insecure people in Sudan and Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about funding to address food insecurity in Sudan and neighbouring countries”The Bishop of Leeds spoke in a debate on amendments to the Media Bill on 20th May 2024, during a discussion on sports broadcasting, raising the importance of audiences encountering content that challenges preconceptions and introduces new ideas:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, surely at a time when we want children to get away from the telly and actually do sports, it is right that they be confronted by sports that they may know nothing about. Was it not curling, whatever that is, which became very popular and captured the imagination? Most of us could not believe that there was a sport where you push something along in that way.
Continue reading “Media Bill: Bishop of Leeds emphasises importance of broadcasting in introducing new and challenging ideas to the public”The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on international efforts to support civilians and avert a famine in Sudan on 16th May 2024, during a discussion on the ongoing conflict in the country:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I note that I will be in Port Sudan in a couple of weeks’ time. Yesterday, I was at a round table on Sudan with NGOs and expatriates. The Raoul Wallenberg Centre made it clear in its research that there is genocidal intent behind much of what is going on in Darfur. The plea there was: how do we get international protection? We cannot say that we do not know this is coming. There is the perfect storm of famine as well as the massive artillery bombardment around El Fasher going on at the moment.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about ramifications of ongoing conflict in Sudan”The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the need to ensure free and fair elections in Georgia, following a government statement on the conflict in Ukraine and clashes between police and protestors in Georgia on 16th May 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, given Georgia’s recent history and its rather precarious geographical position, the importance of the upcoming elections in October cannot be overstated. To push a bit further the question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, can the Minister explain what active steps the Government are taking to ensure that those elections are free and fair?
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about ensuring free and fair elections in Georgia”The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 15th May 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government what diplomatic action they are taking, along with international partners, to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan; and what consideration they have given to appointing a dedicated envoy for Sudan.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about diplomatic efforts to secure a resolution to the conflict in Sudan”The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answers on 14th May 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support members of the Sudanese diaspora in the UK.
Lord Benyon (Con, FCDO): The FCDO maintains a relationship with, and supports, the Sudanese diaspora in the UK, including through engagement with them at events and at the monthly meeting between the FCDO and the APPG for Sudan and South Sudan.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about conflict in Sudan and support for Sudanese diaspora”The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 9th May 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government what information they hold on Vladimir Kara-Murza, held in prison in Russia, and the state of his health.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about dual citizen held in prison in Russia”On 8th May 2024, the House of Lords debated the Media Bill in committee. The Bishop of Leeds spoke in support of a group of amendments on standards requirements for public service broadcasters, stressing the need for detailed terms of reference in public service broadcasting:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I support the first four amendments in this group—Amendments 1 to 3 and 7—and will not repeat what has been said so far in the excellent two speeches. However, I support them for a different reason: I think that they lay the ground for later amendments, particularly Amendments 9, 13 and 32. I will make a serious point about those amendments now, partly because I may have to be on a train when the Committee gets to them.
If we take seriously the Reithian principles to inform, educate and entertain, it means doing what the inscription from George Orwell outside the BBC spells out: that people are enabled to be confronted by, or to hear and see things, that
“they do not want to hear”.
Continue reading “Media Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports amendments on standards and terms of reference for public service broadcasters”On 30th April 2024, the House of Lords debated the Victims and Prisoners Bill in the report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
On 24th April 2024, the Bishop of Leeds asked a question on whether the government would consider taking back long term funding of the BBC World Service, rather than having the service funded through the licence fee:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I notice that the funding agreement with the FCDO runs only until April 2025, which is not very far ahead. Can the Minister tell us whether the Government are considering, at the very least, taking back full funding of the World Service in the longer term rather than leaving it to the licence fee?
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about funding of the BBC World Service”
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