Tag: rural affairs

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about tackling domestic abuse in rural areas

Bishop of St AlbansOn 23rd July 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer, from Baroness Williams of Trafford, regarding domestic abuse in rural areas:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: HL17325 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the National Rural Crime Network Domestic Abuse in Rural Areas, published on 17 July.

Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con): On 16 July we introduced our landmark Domestic Abuse Bill to parliament, setting out our intention to transform the response to domestic abuse. Our Domestic Abuse Bill and wider action plan will help to ensure that victims have the confidence to come forward and report their experience, safe in the knowledge that the justice system and other agencies will do everything they can both to protect and support them and their children and pursue their abuser.

We will consider the findings of the report. Whether it takes place in our rural communities or cities, we are supporting Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, so they can deploy resources as they best see fit to tackle crime, including domestic abuse.

The new Domestic Abuse Commissioner will play an important role in monitoring the provision of services for victims of domestic abuse, including those in rural communities.

Bishop of Leeds asks Government about rural bus services

On 4th June 2019 Baroness Randerson asked the Government “what plans they have to encourage more people to use bus services.” The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, can the Minister expand on what she said about rural access? There is no point trying to encourage people to use buses where there are none. In parts of my diocese in the north of Yorkshire, to suggest that there may be increased funding or increased conversations does not change the fact that many people are isolated. Buses and transport need to be part of a holistic, integrated rural strategy that sees the various matters interconnected.

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government what is being done to tackle hare coursing and rural crime

On 2nd May 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a question he had tabled, on rural crime. The answer, his follow-up, and those of other Members are reproduced below:

Farming Communities: Rural Crime

Question

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of rural crime on farming communities.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about young people’s services in rural areas

On 11th April 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on young people’s services in rural areas:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: (HL15040) To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 29 March (HL14672) and to the report by Rural England State of Rural Services 2018, published in February, whether they have made any assessment of why young people living in rural areas are more likely to engage in risky behaviours than those living in urban areas. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about young people’s services in rural areas”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about youth centres in rural areas

On 29th March the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question on youth services in rural areas:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report State of Rural Services 2018, published by Rural England in February, and in particular of the impact of the closure of youth centres on young people; and what impact access to services has on young people’s engagement in risky behaviour compared to those living in urban areas. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about youth centres in rural areas”

Bishop of Lincoln asks Government about nursing provision in remote rural areas

On 4th February 2019 Baroness Wheeler asked the Government “how they will ensure that there are sufficient nurses, doctors and community specialist care staff to deliver the National Health Service long-term plan, published on 7 January 2019.” The Bishop of Lincoln, Rt Revd Christopher Lowson, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: Is the Minister aware that we have recently opened a new medical school in the University of Lincoln? We hope that this will assist the recruitment and retention of more doctors. However, what are the Government doing to mitigate the increased cost of specialist community nursing provision in remote and sparsely populated rural areas? Continue reading “Bishop of Lincoln asks Government about nursing provision in remote rural areas”

Bishop of St Albans – resources needed to ensure successful fly-tipping prosecutions

On 31st January 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a question he had tabled to Government on fly-tipping. The exchanges are below:

Fly-tipping

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact caused by fly-tipping on areas of outstanding natural beauty, following reports that the Woodland Trust has spent over £1 million on cleaning up fly-tipping over the past five years.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Gardiner of Kimble) (Con): My Lords, the impact of fly-tipping is grave wherever it occurs. It blights local communities and the environment, and tackling fly-tipping is a government priority. Defra’s recently announced resources and waste strategy outlines our approach to tackling waste crime, including specific proposals to prevent, detect and deter fly-tipping. This month, we gave local authorities and the Environment Agency powers to issue financial penalties to householders who fail in their duty of care and pass waste to fly-tippers.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: I thank the Minister for his reply. Having said that, the statistics from local authorities show that over half of them have not had one successful prosecution for fly-tipping. They say that it is not about a lack of law, regulation or anything else; it is a lack of resource. They simply do not have the ability to use the powers they have already got. What can Her Majesty’s Government do to break through this impasse and address this terrible problem, which we face right across the country?

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Written Answer – Bishop of St Albans questions the Government about Planning Policy in Rural Areas

On the 07 August 2018 the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith received a written answer from Lord Bourne about planning policy in rural areas.

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government what it will do to improve UK’s broadband speed

On 19th July the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a question he had tabled to Government abour broadband speed. The exchanges and follow-up questions from other Members can be seen below:

Broadband Speed
Question

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the United Kingdom’s place in the annual ranking of global broadband speed and of the impact of low broadband speeds on the United Kingdom’s ability to compete globally after Brexit. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government what it will do to improve UK’s broadband speed”

Bishop of St Albans responds to report on Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act

StAlbansRoMB1On 2nd July 2018 Lord Cameron of Dillington moved that ‘this House takes note of the Report from the Select Committee on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 “The countryside at a crossroads: Is the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 still fit for purpose?” The Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, spoke in the debate: 

The Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I declare my interest as president of the Rural Coalition. I also express my gratitude to the noble Lord, Lord Cameron, and his Select Committee for their excellent and timely report, The Countryside at a Crossroads. Not surprisingly, many of the points that I wanted to make have already been made, so I will cut out a number of things. I will not detain your Lordships for too long but will just underline one or two points. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans responds to report on Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act”