Tag: Leicester

Abortion on grounds of gender or disability: Bishop of Leicester raises concerns

On 3rd April 2014 the Bishop of Leicester, Rt Rev Tim Stevens, spoke during a short debate in the Lords on abortion, tabled by Baroness Knight of Collingtree. The debate title was: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they intend to take to investigate reported law breaking by those carrying out terminations of pregnancies.” The Bishop said:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, whatever our differing positions on the ethics of abortion, it must be a matter of widespread concern if there is the appearance of a long-standing gap between the spirit of the Abortion Act and the interpretation of the law. This is a matter of particular interest to many in the churches because of a theological commitment to the sanctity of human life, including potential human life.

14.04.01 Bishop of Leicester Continue reading “Abortion on grounds of gender or disability: Bishop of Leicester raises concerns”

Living Wage Call by the Bishop of Leicester

In the House of Lords on 1st April 2014 Lord Young of Norwood Green asked Her Majesty’s Government ‘what plans they have to mark the 15-year anniversary of the minimum wage, which took effect on 1 April 1999.’ The Bishop of Leicester asked a supplementary question: 

14.04.01 Bishop of Leicester

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, in view of what the Minister has said about there being much work to do on the living wage, does he agree that a good way to mark this anniversary would be to commission an independent inquiry into the actual effects of raising the minimum wage to the living wage for everyone? Continue reading “Living Wage Call by the Bishop of Leicester”

In pictures: Introduction of the Bishop of Rochester

14.04.01 Rochester intro 2On Tuesday 1st April, James Henry Langstaff, Lord Bishop of Rochester, was introduced and took the oath, supported by the Bishop of Leicester and the Bishop of Norwich, and signed an undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct. Continue reading “In pictures: Introduction of the Bishop of Rochester”

Bishop of Leicester urges greater consideration of child welfare in immigration cases

The Bishop of Leicester spoke during Report Stage of the Immigration Bill, speaking in favour of Baroness Lister’s Amendment 21. The amendment sought to reduce the threshold at which a child becomes a material factor in a parents’ immigration case from seven to four years. The amendment was not moved, with the Minister giving assurances that the Bill would not have a negative impact on the safeguarding or welfare of children in the United Kingdom.

LeicesterThe Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, I want just to assure your Lordships that as the noble Baroness, Lady Lister, suggested, I support Amendment 21 in spirit. I also support it in practice. It seems that the arguments, from any understanding of child development, are clearly overwhelming. I speak as a former chair of the Children’s Society and as a member of the commission that published the A Good Childhood report on behalf of the Children’s Society some four or five years ago, which was based on the evidence of more than 20,000 children, many of them very young children. They made it very clear, even at the age of five or six, that friendships were an absolutely primary part of their understanding of their well-being. This is documented and spelt out in that report, as indeed it is in many other more academic reports. I would be happy to support this amendment as it stands or even if it is reduced to fewer years. On the basis of any understanding of child development, the argument for a cut-off period of four years seems overwhelming. I hope the Minister will be able to respond positively to the amendment.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: …The noble Baroness, Lady Lister, talked about her experience of losing friends at the age of four, and that was echoed by the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Leicester, but let us face it: many parents move with their children around the country or out of the country for work or other temporary purposes, and the family leaves to return home or move elsewhere. When a family comes to the United Kingdom for a temporary purpose, they cannot and should not expect to settle permanently in the UK, and should not be able to do so unless they meet the rules for doing so. It is essential that the public interest in controlling immigration and protecting the public be properly weighed in the balance, even when children are involved. We believe that Clause 18 strikes the right balance in this regard…

(via Parliament.uk)

Votes – Immigration Bill

Three bishops took part in two vote in the House of Lords yesterday (1st April 2014), on  amendments to the Government’s Immigration Bill, during its Report Stage.

House of Lords Division Lobby
House of Lords Division Lobby

Continue reading “Votes – Immigration Bill”

House of Lords Reform Bill – speech by Bishop of Leicester

“I am sure, as are others, that this cannot be the end of the reform process for another generation.” – Bishop of Leicester

On 28th March 2014 the House of Lords debated a Bill that sought to enable Peers to retire their membership of the House, enforce retirement for non-attenders and expel those convicted of serious offences. This Private Member’s Bill, sponsored by Lord Steel and Dan Byles MP, was given widespread support during its Second Reading debate, including by the Bishop of Leicester.

LeicesterThe Lord Bishop of Leicester:  My Lords, I, too, am deeply grateful to the noble Lords, Lord Steel, Lord Cormack and Lord Norton, and other noble Lords, for bringing us to this point. Continue reading “House of Lords Reform Bill – speech by Bishop of Leicester”

In pictures: Introduction of the Bishop of Chelmsford

 

14.03.25 Chelmsford 1On Tuesday 25th March 2014 Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell, Lord Bishop of Chelmsford, was introduced and took the oath, supported by the Bishop of Chester and the Bishop of Leicester, and signed an undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct.

Continue reading “In pictures: Introduction of the Bishop of Chelmsford”

Schools: Bad Behaviour

On 25th March 2014 Baroness Massey of Darwen asked Her Majesty’s Government ‘what policies they promote to prevent bad behaviour in schools, apart from punishment?’. The Bishop of Leicester asked a supplementary question:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: LeicesterMy Lords, in view of the Minister’s clear endorsement of the policy of positive reinforcement of good behaviour, does he agree that we should be doing much more to promote a culture of mutual respect more widely in society so that the benefit of the positive work of many schools is not lost when our children step out of the school gate?

Lord Nash: I agree entirely with the right reverend Prelate. I know that the church has a particularly strong record of promoting community cohesion across its schools. A culture of mutual respect and of respecting other races and religions is essential to a modern school.
(via Parliament.uk)

Votes – Offender Rehabilitation Bill / Antisocial Behaviour etc Bill

House of Lords Division LobbyBishops took part in two votes in the House of Lords yesterday (11th March), on amendments to two separate Government Bills, which were at the final stages of their parliamentary progress.

Continue reading “Votes – Offender Rehabilitation Bill / Antisocial Behaviour etc Bill”

Votes – Pensions Bill

House of Lords Division Lobby
House of Lords Division Lobby

On 24th and 26th February 2014, a number of Bishops took part in votes on amendments to the Government’s Pensions Bill, during its Report Stage.

Continue reading “Votes – Pensions Bill”