Tag: rural affairs

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about support for rural transport

On 22nd March 2016 Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty’s Government “what assessment they have made of the levels of service provision and council tax following local authority budget decisions for 2016–17.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question about rural bus services.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, recently the Campaign for Better Transport has estimated that local authority subsidies for rural bus services are likely to be cut this year alone by £27 million. In Hertfordshire, where I live and work, there have been cuts since 2010 of 62%. Forty rural bus services have seen radical declines and 14 have gone altogether. While I recognise some of the things the Government are doing, not least the serious increase in the rural services delivery grant, will the Minister tell your Lordships’ House the long-term plans of Her Majesty’s Government to engage with local authorities to ensure that we have proper rural transport as one of the essential elements of rural sustainability? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about support for rural transport”

Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of St Albans argues for rural housing association homes to be exempt from right to buy plans

On 8th March 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill in committee. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, supported an amendment to clause 62 of the Bill, on social housing and the right to buy. The amendment, which was withdrawn after debate, sought to prevent right to buy applying to housing association properties in rural areas unless in exceptional cases.

Bishop St Albans June 2015The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I support Amendment 56, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Royall, to which I have added my name. I, along with other noble Lords, have received a number of letters from people living in rural areas who are deeply concerned at what seem the inevitable consequences if this issue is not addressed.

The major force of this amendment, as the noble Baroness pointed out, would be to change the emphasis in the current right-to-buy arrangement from one in which housing associations can choose to exempt themselves from exercising right to buy in rural areas, as per the current agreement, to one in which housing associations would be unable to exercise right to buy in rural areas, unless in exceptional cases, as set out in proposed new subsection (1A) of the amendment.

The rationale for the amendment is pretty simple. Affordable housing should not be sold off in communities where it will not be replaced. Continue reading “Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of St Albans argues for rural housing association homes to be exempt from right to buy plans”

Housing Bill: Bishop of St Albans raises concerns on rural housing and right to buy

On 26th January 2016, the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, took part in the Second Reading debate of the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill. The Bishop raised concerns about the impact of the bill on rural affordable housing, right to buy, implications for local councils, and the effect of the Bill on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

StAlbans171115The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I, too, add my congratulations to the noble Baroness, Lady Thornhill, and the noble Lord, Lord Thurlow, on their excellent maiden speeches.

I shall limit my comments to three areas. My first concern stems from the right-to-buy deal that has been agreed between the Government and the NHF, and the provisions within the Bill which will accommodate starter homes within affordable housing requirements. My concern is that housing which would once have been provided as affordable rented housing—affordable in perpetuity—will now be replaced by starter homes and homes to buy, with the only condition on their resale being that they be held off the market for a period of five years. Continue reading “Housing Bill: Bishop of St Albans raises concerns on rural housing and right to buy”

Bishop of St Albans asks about Acute Oak Decline

On 7th December 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received three written answers to questions on Acute Oak Decline.

Bishop St Albans June 2015The Lord Bishop of St Albans: 

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the spread of Acute Oak Decline in the UK.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many oak trees have been killed by Acute Oak Decline in the past five years.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have conducted into the bacterial infection spread by the Agrilus biguttatus beetle. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about Acute Oak Decline”

Bishop of St Albans asks about support for rural small businesses

On 24th November 2015 Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty’s Government “what proposals they have for strengthening the role and powers of town and parish councils, particularly as part of the northern powerhouse.” The Bishop of St Albans asked a follow up question:

 

StAlbans171115The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, the northern powerhouse has great potential to bring social and economic benefit to many people, but it is fundamental from the very start that we embed it in the rural communities. Micro-businesses employing fewer than 10 people make a very significant contribution to the rural economy, yet previous approaches to regional development tended to ignore or sideline the rural dimension of it. Will the noble Lord the Minister assure the House that, with the northern powerhouse and other devolved areas, there will be a specific, focused and relevant approach to providing resources for small rural businesses? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about support for rural small businesses”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about contingency for farmers experiencing cash-flow problems

On 10th November 2015 Lord Willoughby de Broke asked Her Majesty’s Government “what percentage of the basic farm payment they expect to pay to qualifying farmers by the end of the year.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a supplementary question.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for referring to the way the Rural Payments Agency has turned things round. Despite its sterling work and the assurances of the Minister, there is no doubt that a number of farmers will experience delays in payments under the basic payment scheme. In light of that, what are Her Majesty’s Government doing to put in place contingency plans to help those farmers who could go out of business simply because of cash-flow problems if payments do not come through on time? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about contingency for farmers experiencing cash-flow problems”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about support payments to farmers

On 3rd November 2015 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question about the timing of the government’s agri-environment payments.


Bishop St Albans June 2015Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to have fulfilled the agri-environment scheme payments to farmers, and how they will ensure that delays in making such payments do not happen next year. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about support payments to farmers”

Bishop of St Albans leads Lords debate on rural housing and Right to Buy

On 15th October 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, led a debate in the House of Lords to ask the Government “how they plan to deliver a sustainable supply of affordable housing in rural communities, particularly in the light of the planned extension of the Right to Buy scheme.” The full text of the Bishop’s speech is below, as is the response from the Minister.

Bishop of St Albans

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am very grateful to all those who have agreed to contribute to this debate, many of whom have huge experience in this area, and I am looking forward to what they have to say.

The provision of affordable housing is vital to the long-term sustainability of rural communities so that they continue to be places where a broad cross-section of people can live and work. It is all the more important, given that rural house prices are currently well beyond the means of many lower-income and middle-income people. Indeed, it is estimated that in 90% of rural authorities, the average home costs eight times the average salary. However, rural communities currently face a serious lack of affordable housing. Only 8% of rural housing stock is considered affordable, compared with 20% in urban areas. The amount of new affordable rural housing is also low. In 2013, only 2,886 affordable homes were built in rural areas out of nearly 40,000 affordable homes nationally. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans leads Lords debate on rural housing and Right to Buy”

Bishop of St Albans calls for more protection for dairy farmers

“Just as global markets have meant that prices have collapsed, there will come a time when they will suddenly rise dramatically. That is how markets work. The point about milk and dairy is that you cannot simply turn it on again. You cannot keep cows tucked away somewhere just in case. It is vital that we make sure that we continue to have a basic ability to produce food”  – Bishop of St Albans, 17/9/15

Bishop of St AlbansOn 17th September 2015, the Earl of Shrewsbury in a question for short debate asked the Government “what steps they are taking to support the dairy industry in the United Kingdom, in the light of the European Union aid package announced on 7 September.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, said:

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans calls for more protection for dairy farmers”

Bishop of St Albans asks the Government about adoption of the rural-urban classification

Bishop St Albans June 2015On 17th September 2015, the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received answers to three written questions, about the Government’s statistical use of the rural-urban classification, the Government’s response to the Independent Rural Proofing Implementation Review and access to the Rural Services Delivery Grant. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks the Government about adoption of the rural-urban classification”