On 20th November 2024, the House of Lords debated the Water (Special Measures) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part.
Votes: Water (Special Measures) Bill
Tag: manchester
Bishop of Manchester asks about control of local railways
The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on local control of passenger railway services on 13th November 2024, following a government statement on railway transport:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I am grateful for what we have just heard. As somebody who frequently travels between Manchester and London Euston, I know that, at Manchester, I can often get on the train 20 minutes before it is due to leave and settle down, but at Euston it is a mad dash. It has still been like that, even in recent weeks. I want to focus on more local rail services. When I last spoke in this House on that subject, I asked the Minister whether there was any progress on allowing Greater Manchester—which now has control of the buses and the metro system—to take control of local rail as well. Integrating the transport system in a major city, as happens in London, is absolutely crucial. I can get to Manchester and then it takes me an hour to get home, out of the city, even though it is only two miles away. Is the Minister able to give us a progress report on that?
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about control of local railways”Bishop of Manchester asks about self determination for territories annexed by Indonesia
The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on the future of self determination for West Papua and other nearby territories on 13th November 2o24, during a discussion of the Indonesian Government’s actions in West Papua:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, do His Majesty’s Government agree with the Pacific Conference of Churches that the future for West Papua, alongside Mā’ohi Nui, or French Polynesia, and Kanaky, or New Caledonia, lies in self-determination? If so, what conversations have His Majesty’s Government had with the Indonesian Government to put the case that they should give freedom to those territories they have invaded and annexed?
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about self determination for territories annexed by Indonesia”Crown Estate Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendment on fish-farming regulations
On 5th November 2024, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Crown Estate Bill. The Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of an amendment tabled by Lord Forsyth of Drumlean on regulations around salmon farming on the Estate:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, just briefly, I add to the wide range of support that the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, has had on this amendment some from our Benches here.
Continue reading “Crown Estate Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendment on fish-farming regulations”Votes: Crown Estate Bill
On 5th November 2024, the House of Lords debated the Crown Estate Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
Bishop of Manchester asks about minimum income threshold for spousal and family visas
The Bishop of Manchester received the following written answers on 7th October 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, to increase the minimum income threshold for applications for a (1) spousal, and (2) family, visa.
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about minimum income threshold for spousal and family visas”Bishop of Manchester asks about plans for bus franchising
The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on plans for franchising local bus and railway services on 12th September 2024, following a government statement on plans for bus franchising:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I declare an interest: I got the bus on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and today, and shall be getting it tomorrow. As I live in Greater Manchester, I have been a real beneficiary of what the previous Government allowed for franchising in my city and its surrounds. The buses have become more reliable: I can now go to a bus stop and expect a bus to turn up within 10 minutes, not 40 minutes, which I sometimes had to wait for before.
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about plans for bus franchising”Bishop of Manchester asks about data on universal credit for care leavers
The Bishop of Manchester received the following written answer on 2nd September 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester asked His Majesty’s Government whether they plan to publish the data, routinely collected since February 2022, on care leavers claiming Universal Credit.
Baroness Sherlock (Lab, DWP): We have no plans to publish data on care leavers claiming Universal Credit.
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about data on universal credit for care leavers”King’s Speech Debate: Bishop of Manchester welcomes focus on communities and accountability
The Bishop of Manchester spoke on the topic of criminal justice during the King’s speech debate on 24th July 2024, welcoming the government’s focus on community policing and policies to introduce a duty of candour for public officials:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow my former boss.
As a trustee of the Clink Charity, where we help prisoners build skills for employment in the catering industry, I too welcome the noble Lord, Lord Timpson, and congratulate him on a powerful and hopeful speech. He might wish to know that the Clink restaurant at Styal prison won the Cheshire Life restaurant of the year award earlier this week. If his team can draw my remarks to his attention, I hope he will accept an invitation to dine with me there later this year, so he can see for himself. However, as my right reverend friend the Bishop of Gloucester has spoken eloquently about prisons already, I will focus elsewhere.
Continue reading “King’s Speech Debate: Bishop of Manchester welcomes focus on communities and accountability”Bishop of Manchester asks about issue of holiday hunger for children
The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on the governments plans to tackle holiday hunger for children on 24th July 2024, raising the example of church projects offering support to children and families in school holidays:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: Something like seven out of every eight local authorities now use this money to alleviate holiday hunger among our children. Can we have any hope that the Government will look at a more strategic way of helping children cope with hunger during the school holidays? Many of the churches in my diocese, and those of my right reverend friends here, are having to put on voluntary projects to support children during those periods. What can we hope for?
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about issue of holiday hunger for children”
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