On 5th July 2022, the House of Lords considered a motion regarding the sitting times of the house. A vote was held on an amendment, in which Bishops took part:
Votes: Sitting Times
Tag: Procedure
Votes: Procedure and Privileges Committee
On 22nd February 2022, the House of Lords debated a motion ‘That the Report from the Select Committee Divisions: pass-readers; Sessional select committees; Participation of eligible members in oral statements and repeated urgent questions (6th Report, HL Paper 152) be agreed to.’ A vote was held on an amendment to the motion, in which a Bishop took part.
Votes: Dissolution and Calling of Parliaments Bill
On 9th February 2022, the House of Lords debated the Dissolution and Calling of Parliaments Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the Bill, in which a bishop took part.
Votes: Procedures & Privileges
On 13th July 2021, the House of Lords debated a report from the Procedures and Privileges Committee regarding proposed changes to procedures in the House. Votes were held on a motion to approve the changes, and amendments to the main motion, in which Bishops took part:
Procedures & Privileges: Bishop of Chichester speaks on proposed changes to the business of the House of Lords
On 13th July 2021, the House of Lords debated the motion:
“that the Report from the Select Committee Procedural adaptations arising from the hybrid House; Interim option of voting using PeerHub; Ongoing virtual participation by disabled members (1st Report, HL Paper 41) be agreed to.”
The Bishop of Chichester spoke in the debate, welcoming steps to retain some hybrid adaptations, but expressing concern over the proposed changes to some oral question procedures:
The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, my right reverend friend the Bishop of Birmingham, who is our convenor, regrets that he cannot attend today’s debate. As Bishop on duty, I offer some thoughts on behalf of these Benches. On behalf of my right reverend friends, I thank the Leader of the House and the leaders of the parties, and especially all the staff who have seen us through this extremely challenging time. All of us have a particular debt of gratitude to those in the digital and technical spheres, which many of us struggle with. I noted earlier that it has enabled some of my right reverend friends to share with the House the interior of their splendid cathedrals, so that has been great. I am grateful to the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay, for his recognition that being present in the House is also a very important contribution on our behalf.
I speak as a relative newcomer to your Lordships’ House, and as one of those Members, found on all sides of the House, who combines their service here with a significant full-time outside commitment. It is one of the strengths of this House that it gives space for this, so that membership is not just for what might be described as the full-time, professional politician. The assessment of any change to our procedure should not only test efficiency in our working practices and the capacity for inclusion in them but demonstrate how it will enable those who are not full-time to participate as fully as possible to bring into the debate and scrutiny this House exercises the wide range of experience that they bring.
Continue reading “Procedures & Privileges: Bishop of Chichester speaks on proposed changes to the business of the House of Lords”Can Lords Spiritual vote in general elections?
When Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury, revealed in 1983 that he had voted in the recent general election (though not who for), he was unlikely to have imagined that it would give rise to newspaper headlines and questions in parliament. He had not broken the law, though the subsequent debate shone a light on an otherwise little-known feature of the House of Lords. Continue reading “Can Lords Spiritual vote in general elections?”
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