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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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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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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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.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks new Israeli legislation concerning the ICC”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.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about reconstruction plan for Gaza”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.
Continue reading “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 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.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about prospect of negotiated peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan”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.
Continue reading “National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill: Bishop of Southwark tables amendment”The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on the value of ongoing membership of the ECHR on, particularly pertaining to the continuation of the Belfast agreement, on 7th January 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, does the Minister agree that the benefit of ongoing membership of the ECHR is, among other things, that it is vital for the continuation of the Belfast agreement?
Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab, MoJ): I thank the right reverend Prelate for that question. He is right that the Good Friday agreement is underpinned by the convention, and it is important that that should continue.
The Bishop of Southwark spoke at the second reading of the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill on 6th January 2025, raising the issue of the effects of increases in national insurance on clergy and on the transport sector for children with SEND:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I wish to make three quick points on this, the largest and probably most consequential, measure announced by the Chancellor in the Budget. My first point is very tentative, as it relates to the promises on taxation made by major parties prior to general elections. We are an unelected House, and I am deeply conscious of the peculiar pressures that political parties navigate to put across a message and compete with their opponents, but I think, wishfully perhaps, that greater restraint by parties on what they promise in the area of taxation would be appropriate since the House of Commons should have maximum freedom to pass a Finance Bill in our overall interests. I cannot be alone in thinking that placing such a burden on employer national insurance because of prior commitments ruling out other possible options is less than optimal and is already seemingly restraining economic growth.
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