On 4th March 2025, the House of Lords debated the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
Votes: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill
Tag: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill 2025
Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester speaks to amendments
The Bishop of Manchester spoke during a debate on amendments to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, expressing concern over the potential effects on churches and other places of worship, and the effects on voluntary commitments:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I am grateful that we are debating the amendments in this group. I declare my interest, having lots of churches in Manchester that fall under the terms of the Bill.
Continue reading “Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester speaks to amendments”Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester speaks in support of amendments on community and voluntary groups
On 12th February 2025, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill. The Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of amendments to the bill tabled by Lord Murray of Blidworth aiming to provide further support for community and voluntary organisations under the bill:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I support the amendments of the noble Lord, Lord Murray of Blidworth, in this group. As the Bishop of Manchester, I have got something like 400 churches and church halls in my diocese, but these amendments go rather wider than that. For places of worship, there are already some grant schemes for protecting against terrorism, given the particular threat that places of worship, especially Muslim and Jewish places of worship, have traditionally faced.
Continue reading “Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester speaks in support of amendments on community and voluntary groups”Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments on training for volunteers
On 10th February 2025, the Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of amendments to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill on provision of training for voluntary organisations to assist in their compliance with the bill:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I will speak in favour of the amendments in this group, particularly that in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Faulkner of Worcester. I have an interest to declare, in that I have 250 or 300 church buildings in my diocese that will come under the terms of the Bill when it is enacted.
Continue reading “Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments on training for volunteers”Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester raises need for training and resources for faith and voluntary groups
The Bishop of Manchester spoke in a debate on the second reading of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill on 7th January 2025, referencing his experiences leading the diocese in the aftermath of the Manchester arena bombing in 2017 and the need for access to training and resources for faith and voluntary sector groups to comply with the requirements of the bill:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, as a bishop whose diocese includes around 300 places of worship, most of which will find that this Bill directly applies to them, I have, along with my right reverend friends on these Benches, a very obvious interest to declare. But as the Bishop of Manchester, I have a more specific reason for wanting to see this Bill reach the statute book. Martyn Hett, whose name is immortalised in the informal title by which we know this Bill, was killed some three minutes’ walk from my cathedral. We are all grateful for the persistence of his mother, Figen, over these last seven years, and for achieving the degree of cross-party consensus that has brought us to this point today.
Continue reading “Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Bishop of Manchester raises need for training and resources for faith and voluntary groups”
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