Tag: Southwark

Bishop of Southwark speaks on value of treaties placing limits on use of landmines and cluster munitions

On 3rd April 2025, the Bishop of Southwark spoke in a debate on the withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel landmines and the Convention on Cluster Munitions by several NATO allies:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Verdirame, for setting out this important matter so clearly and to other noble Lords for their very evident expertise in this area.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about progress on points raised in the Lammy Review

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on points raised in the Lammy Review on racial disparities in the criminal justice system on 3rd April 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, the independent Lammy Review of 2017, concerning the treatment of and outcomes for BAME individuals within the criminal justice system in England and Wales, identified disproportionate outcomes in a number of areas. I ask the Minister about two points raised in the final report relevant to the issue and whether there has been any progress. One was a lack of sophisticated data around ethnicity in the criminal justice system, and the second was that white suspects appearing in court were markedly more likely to plead guilty to an offence and thereby benefit from up to a one-third reduction in the sentence than was the case with BAME suspects.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about universal free school meals

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on the benefits of offering universal free school meals on 2nd April 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, will the Minister consider the scheme funded by the Mayor of London, by which all state primary school children receive free school meals, with the undoubted benefits that brings, and will she consider extending that nationally?

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Bishop of Southwark asks about alternative methods to combat knife crime

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on alternative approaches to tackling knife crime on 1st April 2025, during a discussion on the effectiveness of the stop and search policy:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: Can the Minister outline whether more activity is possible on prevention and a public health approach to knife crime, as has been attempted in Glasgow? Examples include schools programmes and after-school youth provision—programmes that tackle the multivalent factors that can lead to violence.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about release of prisoners in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 24th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan for the release of prisoners in Nagorno–Karabakh.

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Bishop of Southwark asks new Israeli legislation concerning the ICC

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 17th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations to the government of Israel regarding the Protection of Israeli Public Officials from the Action of the International Criminal Court in The Hague against the State of Israel Bill 2024.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about reconstruction plan for Gaza

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 14th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked  His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the peace and reconstruction plan for Gaza that was endorsed by the Arab League summit on 4 March.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about impact of Israeli legislation on aid to Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 13th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the likely impact of the Associations Bill (Amendment—Donation from Foreign State Entity) 2024, currently before the Knesset, on the United Kingdom’s overseas development assistance to Israeli and Palestinian human rights organisations.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about prospect of negotiated peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 10th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the prospects of a negotiated peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

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National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill: Bishop of Southwark tables amendment

On 29th January 2025, the House of Lords debated the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill in Grand Committee. Bishop of Southwark spoke to his amendment to the bill concerning the effects on transport provision for SEND children and their families:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I will speak to Amendment 67, which stands in my name. It is supported by the noble Lords, Lord Alton and Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, whose names were not entered in time for the Marshalled List.

I agree with much of what the noble Baroness, Lady Monckton of Dallington Forest, said in support of Amendments 14 and 27, in her name, and others concerning the provision of transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities—many years ago, my identical twin brother was one of them. My amendment has the same intention, albeit a slightly different effect.

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