On 13th April 2021, the House of Lords debated the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
Votes: Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill
Tag: military
Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill: Bishop of Leeds raises concerns on prosecution limits
On 21st March 2021, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill. The Bishop of Leeds spoke in support of amendment 14, which would provide that the presumption against prosecution in the bill does not apply to war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide or torture:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I understand the stated rationale for this Bill and I state at the outset that I have enormous respect for the noble Baroness the Minister, but I am struggling. I am not a lawyer, but I would like to focus on a couple of specific questions. I understand the difficulty with vexatious and untimely litigation, which is a curse, but legitimate litigation, however inconvenient, is surely the blessing of a free and civilised society that honours international law and a rules-based system in more than words.
The basic reason why I speak in support of Amendment 14 is that I fear the law of predictable or conscious consequences more than the law of unintended consequences. I ask the Minister to explain clearly this anomaly, which I cannot get my head around: this Bill, as currently drafted, will make it possible for an incident of torture or murder not to be prosecuted while a sexual offence committed in the same incident would be subject to prosecution. That suggests to me either that the reference to sexual offences is arbitrary or that torture and crimes against humanity and so on should also be admitted in the same category.
Continue reading “Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill: Bishop of Leeds raises concerns on prosecution limits”Bishop of Peterborough presses Government to rectify problem with war widows’ pension payments
On 10th December 2020 the Bishop of Peterborough asked Government when it would make retrospective the ability of war widows to retain pension entitlements if they remarried before the law changed:
The Lord Bishop of Peterborough [V]: My Lords, David Cameron, under whose premiership the new rules came in, has admitted that the current situation is a mistake and was not intended. It is manifestly unjust and betrays those who have served our country. The ridiculous rule that people could rectify the situation by divorcing and then remarrying undermines the institution of marriage. Does this not make it entirely justifiable to overturn, or at least suspend, the policy to which the Minister refers?Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling machines on UK Army bases
On 14th October 2020 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question on gambling machines in British Army installations:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are gambling machines in any British Army installations in the UK; and if so, (1) which categories these machines fall into in accordance with the Gambling Act 2005, and (2) whether these machines are operated by the Ministry of Defence or external contractors. [HL8770] Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling machines on UK Army bases”
Bishop of Worcester asks Government about transmission of Covid-19 by UK military personnel in Africa
On 11th May 2020 the Bishop of Worcester, Rt Revd John Inge, received a written answer to a question on the transmission of COVID-19 to civilians among UK military personnel and staff deployed in Africa.
The Lord Bishop of Worcester: HL3572 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have put in place to deal with the potential transmission of COVID-19 to civilians among UK military personnel and staff deployed to UN peacekeeping missions in Africa.
Bishop of St Albans asks Government about gambling-related harm amongst veterans and armed forces
On 24th June 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received written answers from Government, in reply to five questions about problem gambling and gaming machines in the armed forces and on the armed forces estates:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: (i) HL16430 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of gambling-related harm amongst (1) veterans, and (2) those currently serving in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces; and whether the Ministry of Defence has conducted any research into gambling participation rates in those groups.
(ii) HL16429 to ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) Fixed-Odd Betting Terminals and (2) Electronic Gaming Machines, are located on Ministry of Defence property in (1) 2015, (2) 2016, (3) 2017, and (4) 2018; and who was the beneficiary of any such money.
(iii) HL16428 To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) Fixed-Odd Betting Terminals and (2) Electronic Gaming Machines, are on property belonging to the Ministry of Defence.
(iv) HL16431 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what provision is available to problem gamblers who are currently serving in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.
(v) HL16432 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the number of problem gamblers who are currently serving in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.
Bishop of St Albans asks Government about use of British-built military hardware by Saudia Arabia and UAE
On 6th November 2018 the Earl of Sandwich asked the Government “what steps they are taking to help end the famine caused by the war in Yemen.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, what representations have Her Majesty’s Government made to the KSA and UAE about the use of British-built military hardware, which some people are really concerned could be used for, as is being alleged, war crimes? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about use of British-built military hardware by Saudia Arabia and UAE”
Bishop of Coventry speaks on military intervention in Syria
On 16th April Baroness Evans of Bowes Park repeated a statement from the Prime Minister on the UK’s military action in Syria. The Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, responded to the statement:
The Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, it was very good to hear that assurance from the Leader of the House on the commitment to a long-term diplomatic solution. I Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry speaks on military intervention in Syria”
Bishop of Derby on the role of chaplaincy in the First World War and ‘Woodbine Willie’.
On 19th October 2017 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Black “That this House takes note of the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele and of Her Majesty’s Government’s plans to commemorate it.” The Bishop of Derby, Rt Revd Alastair Redfern, spoke in the debate, highlighting the role of chaplaincy in the First World War and the example of ‘Woodbine Willie’, Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy:
The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Lord, Lord Black of Brentwood, and associate myself with the lovely phrase that it is both a privilege and very humbling to be part of this remembrance.
Passchendaele is, as we have heard, a symbol of war: the human cost, the sheer complexity of leadership and the sheer complexity of operations. Commemoration is not simply to remember but, as the noble Lord, Lord West, has just pointed out, to learn, to take something, to honour what people gave in their lives and commitment, and to see how that can inspire us and point us forward positively. It is a sign of huge issues in international relations, warfare and military and political leadership. Continue reading “Bishop of Derby on the role of chaplaincy in the First World War and ‘Woodbine Willie’.”
Bishop of Coventry asks about civilian deaths and cost of military action in Iraq
On 11th and 12th October 2017 Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, Bishop of Coventry, received written answers from the Government to questions about civilian casualties and the financial cost of armed conflict in Iraq:
The Lord Bishop of Coventry: (i) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the cost of the UK’s participation in the US led coalition air strikes in support of the liberation of Mosul.
(ii) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they intend to take to evaluate the deployment of airpower in heavily populated areas following the liberation of Mosul.
(iii) To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to investigate unintended civilian casualties arising from UK participation in the US led coalition airstrikes to liberate Mosul; and if so, what resources they (1) have committed, and (2) intend to commit, to that investigation.
(iv) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of civilians killed during the liberation of Mosul.
Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks about civilian deaths and cost of military action in Iraq”
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