Tag: Week in Westminster

Welcome to our weekly round up of activity in Parliament. This week bishops in the House of Lords spoke on UK national security, and the challenges facing the NHS after Brexit. Bishops also asked questions about modern slavery, religious freedom in Turkey, the case of Asia Bibi in Pakistan, the Central African Republic, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Iraqi refugees, rural broadband and foodbank use.The Second Church Estates Commissioner also spoke about the humanitarian situation in Mosul and answered questions on camping in church buildings and bats in churches.  Continue reading “Week in Westminster 10th-14th July 2017”

Welcome to our weekly round up of activity in Parliament. This week bishops in the House of Lords spoke on international development, the Middle East, Israel and Palestine. The Second Church Estates Commissioner also spoke about Christian persecution worldwide and blasphemy laws in Pakistan. Bishops also asked questions about religious and ethnic persecution in Iran, the detention of the Eritrean Orthodox Patriarch, Palestine, violence towards people on the basis of faith, gender or sexuality, blasphemy laws in Pakistan, spiritual care for those with medically unexplained symptoms and children’s mental health care. Continue reading “Week in Westminster 3rd-7th July 2017”

Welcome to our weekly round up of activity in Parliament. This week eight bishops spoke during the four days of debate on the Queen’s Speech, raising issues about Brexit, mental health, character education, vulnerable young people, poverty, domestic violence, farming, the Northern Powerhouse and industrial strategy. The Bishop of St Albans’ Marriage Registration Bill was introduced and had its first reading. Bishops also asked questions about North Korea, Syrian refugees, Gaza and religious freedom in Indonesia. A bishop responded to a Government statement on the Grenfell Tower fire.

 

Continue reading “Week in Westminster 26th-30th June 2017”

Parliament returned this week after the General Election. Nine bishops attended the State Opening of Parliament to hear the Queen’s Speech. The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke during the first day of debate on the Speech and also responded to a Government statement on the Grenfell Tower fire. 

The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Mike Hill, was on duty throughout the week, reading prayers at the start of each sitting day.

 

Wednesday 21st June

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishops of Birmingham, Durham, Newcastle, Oxford, St Albans, Southwark and Winchester all attended the State Opening of Parliament.

The Bishop of Bristol led the House in a minute’s silence before Prayers, to remember the victims of recent tragedies.

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Thursday 22nd June

The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke during the first day of debate on the Queen’s Speech, on foreign policy, Brexit and shared values. He also responded to a Government statement on the Grenfell Tower fire.

Welcome to the Church of England’s weekly round-up of activity in Parliament.

This week in the House of Lords bishops supported amendments on tax transparency to the Government’s Criminal Finances Bill and on PSHE to the Children and Social Work Bill.  Bishops spoke in debates on eradicating diseases such as leprosy. Questions were asked about bereavement payments, rebuilding Syria, relationships support, prison suicides, in-work poverty, child poverty, the effect of gambling on children, Israel/Palestine and on hospital transport. Bishops also took part in votes on amendments to the Health Services Medical Supplies (Costs) Bill and on a regret motion to the Government’s Higher Education Regulations. The report was published of the House of Lords Committee on the Long-term Sustainability of the NHS, on which the Bishop of Carlisle had served. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 3rd- 7th April 2017”

This week bishops in the House of Lords asked questions about healthcare in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, the future of Channel 4 as a public service broadcaster and the Motability scheme for disabled people.

They also responded to a Government statement on activating ‘Article 50’ and voted on amendments to the Government’s Technical & Further Education Bill. A bishop also spoke and voted on motions to regret the Government’s proposals to make changes to Personal Independence Payments.

Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 27th-31st March 2017”

Welcome to the Church of England’s weekly round-up of activity in Parliament.

This week in the House of Lords the Archbishop of Canterbury paid tribute to those who had lost their lives or been injured in Wednesday’s terrorist attack on Westminster, and those who acted as first responders.The Bishop of Leeds and the Speaker’s Chaplain both wrote in response to the events.

The House of Lords did not sit on Wednesday 22nd, but returned the following day. During the week bishops spoke and voted on the Government’s Digital Economy Bill, and in debates on UK-Russian relations and the impact of Brexit on both Gibraltar and the UK’s rural and farming sector. A question was also put about UK aid to hospitals in Gaza. In the House of Commons Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP answered two written questions, about Church Commissioner salaries and about yoga in church buildings.
Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 20th-24th March 2017”

Welcome to the Church of England’s weekly round-up of activity in Parliament.

This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke and voted on the Government’s EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill,  and the Higher Education and Research Bill. Bishops spoke in debates on the 2017 Budget, end of life care chaplaincy and the Commonwealth and responded to Government statements on National Insurance and on the EU Court ruling on religious symbols.They asked questions about religious freedom in Egypt, Iraq, accessibility of churches and on the work of the Home Office. In the House of Commons Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP answered two written questions about church land and the cathedral in Peterborough. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 13th-17th March 2017”

Welcome to the Church of England’s weekly round-up of activity in Parliament.

This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke and voted on the Government’s EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, the Criminal Finances Bill and proposed, spoke and voted on amendments to the  Higher Education and Research Bill. Bishops also spoke in debates on assisted suicide, and a Private Member’s bill on ratifying the Istanbul Convention on gender based violence.They asked questions about Vauxhall-Opel, food banks, unaccompanied child refugees, gender-based violence, fly-tipping, humanitarian aid and minorities returning to Iraq. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 6th-10th March 2017”

Welcome to the Church of England’s weekly round-up of activity in Parliament.

This week in the House of Lords bishops spoke on the Government’s EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill and gave support to the Homelessness Reduction Bill. They also spoke and voted on amendments to the Government’s Neighbourhood Planning Bill and Digital Economy Bill. Bishops spoke in a debate on bereavement support payments and asked questions about indeterminate prison sentences, mental health, air pollution, protests in West Papua, rail services, the benefit cap, development aid, Burma and Iraq. In the House of Commons the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered a questions on security. Continue reading “Week in Westminster, 20th-24th February 2017”