Tag: Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill 2023

Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Chichester welcomes legislation on financial support for church buildings

On 21st September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in its third reading. The Bishop of Chichester spoke in the debate, welcoming legislation in the bill brought by the Bishop of Bristol clarifying local authority funding for church buildings and parish churches:

The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, I apologise for my misplaced enthusiasm in wanting to add to these thanks. I shall speak briefly on behalf of my right reverend friend the Bishop of Bristol to record her thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Scott of Bybrook, for all the constructive work that is represented in the Bill and to assure the noble Baroness of our continued prayers for her recovery.

Continue reading “Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Chichester welcomes legislation on financial support for church buildings”

Votes: Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill

On 18th September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the Report Stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:

Continue reading “Votes: Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill”

Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill

On 13th September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the Report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the Bill, in which Bishops took part:

Continue reading “Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill”

Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Southwark supports amendments on housing

On 6th September 2023, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the sixth day of the report stage. The Bishop of Southwark spoke in support of amendment 201, which would require the government to update the definition of affordable housing, recalling the Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2021 debate on housing and stressing the need for a bipartisan approach to ensure consistent housebuilding policy over time:

My Lords, the noble Baronesses, Lady Hayman and Lady Bennett, and the noble Lord, Lord Stunell, have all spoken eloquently on Amendment 201, which I support. I thank them for tabling it.

The independent Archbishops’ Commission on Housing reported in March 2021, and your Lordships’ House may recall the debate that the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury secured on 24 March 2021, on the subject of housing. I simply wish to highlight a few points from that which I believe are relevant to the debate on this amendment.

Continue reading “Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Southwark supports amendments on housing”

Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill

On 6th September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:

Continue reading “Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill”

Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Southwark supports amendment on health and wellbeing

On 4th September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the fifth day of the report stage. The Bishop of Southwark spoke in the debate, in support of an amendment in the name of the Bishop of London and other peers which would introduce a duty to reduce health inequalities and improve well-being into the bill:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I also rise to speak to Amendment 198 in the names of the noble Baroness, Lady Willis of Summertown, the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, whom it is an honour to follow this evening, the noble Lord, Lord Foster of Bath, and the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of London, who sends her apologies that she cannot be here to take part in this debate.

The urgent need to address declining health in the United Kingdom, as well as the widening health inequalities associated with this, cannot be overstated. We have heard many times about the staggering difference in healthy life expectancy, which was already up to 19 years before the pandemic. We must not become numb to such statistics or the reality that underlies them. Amendment 198 is about using the opportunity that this Bill provides to reform the planning system and thereby enable practical action by local authorities to tackle these disparities.

Continue reading “Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Southwark supports amendment on health and wellbeing”

Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill

On 4th September 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:

Continue reading “Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill”

Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill

On 18th July 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill in the Report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:

Continue reading “Votes: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill”

Levelling-up & Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Chichester supports amendment on local authority budgets

On 13th July 2023, the House of Lords debated the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill in the second day of the report stage. The Bishop of Chichester spoke in the debate, in support of an amendment intended to ensure that local authorities have appropriate budgets to meet their funding commitments:

The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, I wish to speak in support of Amendment 63, which I had understood was tabled in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor, but to which the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman, spoke. I speak having consulted with my colleague the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Bristol, who has been doing some work in this area.

It seems entirely right and logical that the methodology used for allocating funds for a local authority is based on the most up-to-date information. As has been outlined, the current mechanism of allocating funds does not respond to local needs or local data and often seems to rely on data that is out of date. This will simply act as a barrier to the crucial role local government has to play in ensuring that people can receive the services and support they need, no matter where they live. These services, from collecting bins and filling potholes to providing much-needed support for low-income households and preventing homelessness—core business—have a considerable impact on the wellbeing and welfare of families and households who may be struggling to get by, and in turn affect the fabric of our communities.

Continue reading “Levelling-up & Regeneration Bill: Bishop of Chichester supports amendment on local authority budgets”

Levelling-up & Regeneration Bill: Government amends Bill in response to call from Bishop to clarify local authorities grant-making powers to places of worship

On 13th July 2023, during a report stage debate on amendments to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, the Government Minister Baroness Scott introduced an amendment to the Bill to give clarity in the law on the question of the ability of local authorities to issue grants to parish churches and places of worship. The Bishop of Bristol had called for this at the earlier Committee stage, introducing her own amendment, which was not accepted at the time. The Minister’s amendment recognises the need for the changes, and is made in response to the arguments advanced by the Bishop and others at Committee. There was a short debate on the amendment, which the House agreed without a vote.

Continue reading “Levelling-up & Regeneration Bill: Government amends Bill in response to call from Bishop to clarify local authorities grant-making powers to places of worship”