Results 1-20 of 155 for speaker:the Bishop of Manchester

Arbitration and Mediation Services (Equality) Bill [HL]: Second Reading (19 October 2012)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I echo the warm words of congratulation and appreciation for the characteristically heartfelt and informed speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Cox. In February 2008, many column acres in the national media were given over to my friend and colleague, the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury, and to his supposed views on Sharia law. I say "supposed" because a large amount...

Inheritance (Cohabitants) Bill [HL]: Second Reading (19 October 2012)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, the Bill introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Lester of Herne Hill, provides a valuable opportunity to consider issues that are of considerable and increasing importance for a large number of people in our society. Reference has already been made to the Law Commission's 2007 report in which proposals were made for addressing the financial hardship suffered by cohabitants or their...

Education: Development of Excellence — Motion to Take Note (18 October 2012)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for this debate. The recent Church School of the Future review highlights the Church of England's aspiration for the 1 million pupils in our schools to experience excellent education. The Manchester diocese educates more children in these schools than any other diocese. We entirely support the noble Baroness's emphasis on not narrowing our understanding or...

Fire Services: Funding — Question (18 October 2012)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, does the Minister understand that little that she has said up to now today will strengthen the morale of authorities such as the Greater Manchester fire and rescue service, which serves courageously in very high-risk and deprived areas, is often under attack while on call and feels that it is being disproportionately hit by unfair cuts? Is not the fairest way a flat-rate cut for all...

Welfare Reform Bill: Report (6th Day) (25 January 2012)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, many of my parish priests would endorse the kind of things that we have heard of this afternoon, the many cases where single parents-97 per cent of them mothers-are placed in a most cruel and unfair position. It is only recently, I think, that the Prime Minister said that our society must do more to make fathers understand and take responsibility for their paternal aspects which...

Welfare Reform Bill: Report (6th Day) (25 January 2012)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it is clear that the nub of this issue is the accountability required to make sure that the Social Fund is used in the manner for which it is intended. I doubt that any noble Lord does not see the significance of that and it has been argued for eloquently and cogently by the noble Baroness, Lady Lister. My ears have suggested to me that there is a deep measure of agreement around...

Southern Cross Care Homes — Statement (12 July 2011)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, for all the assurances that the Minister has given, and for all his obvious sensitivity to the issues that many residents face, the truth remains that a lot of people in these care homes feel themselves at present to be in an extremely vulnerable position. In these circumstances, does he feel that the level of salary and bonuses that some directors have is appropriate, and would he...

Phone Hacking — Private Notice Question (5 July 2011)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it seems to me that two issues are germane to this debate. One is the tragic matter of Milly Dowler and, clearly, the judicial inquiry has to be pursued in that direction and the police allowed to do what they are meant to do. The second issue seems to me to be a much deeper one and also a matter of some urgency for this House to address once the particular inquiries relating to...

Police: Deployment of Workforce — Question (5 April 2011)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, may I press the Minister on her definition to make quite clear that she is giving an assurance on front-line policing of those who are police community support officers? Will she affirm the huge value that those members of the police give in preventive action in terms of crime that otherwise might occur within the community?

Equality: Act of Settlement — Question (10 January 2011)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, does the Minister accept that the central provision for the establishment of the Church of England is that the Sovereign, as Supreme Governor, should join in communion with that church? Does the Minister agree that, unless the Roman Catholic Church is prepared to soften its rules on its members' involvement with the Church of England, whose orders it regards as null and void, it is...

Digital Switchover: Communications Committee Report: Motion to Take Note (12 October 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it has been an enormous privilege to have served on the two Select Committees that have been so graciously and knowledgeably chaired by the noble Lord, Lord Fowler. His ability to enable amicable agreement on a range of matters between atheist, humanist and church members has been remarkable. Without exception, the reports that he has overseen have always been enhanced by his...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Report (2nd Day) (3 March 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I rather echo that point. In Committee, I expressed, as did many noble Lords, concerns about local and community radio stations and about the extension of FM. These are very important matters, but as other noble Lords have indicated in this short debate, there are other areas as well. In all this, I hope that we will continue to recognise that, while it has often been said that the...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Committee (7th Day) (8 February 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I do not think that the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, should in any sense feel that there will be relief all round the Chamber now that she has come to the end of her series of amendments. She is to be congratulated on raising a significant number of important matters that must be addressed. On this matter, I am sure that the Minister and your Lordships will feel that there are clear...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Committee (7th Day) (8 February 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: An issue which strikes me in relation to these helpful amendments is that responsible retailers who have invested in more robust age-verification systems fear being commercially penalised as their less scrupulous competitors will become magnets for those seeking to bypass the age-restriction laws. I appreciate that this makes it no less illegal for them to sell to minors, but the fact remains...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Committee (7th Day) (8 February 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, these amendments follow neatly the earlier debate this evening and, as I see it, they are about preserving the integrity of a system which over the course of almost a century has built up a reputation for making, on the whole, sound judgments about the age appropriateness of cinematic material. It makes sense for the video works authority-which I assume, as the noble Baroness, Lady...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Committee (7th Day) (8 February 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, and the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, have already noted, this amendment has drawn support from all Benches and I add my broad welcome for it from this Bench. As I think we all agree, it is important to bring the most unacceptable content within the scope of statutory regulation and there is a need to update the law in this area. However, I take on...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Committee (7th Day) (8 February 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I recall that last week the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, and I supported each other's amendments, but sadly that relationship is about to be broken albeit, I hope, temporarily. To allow the Bill to pass without this clause would pose a real problem for the entire digital radio project. The three commercial stations currently granted national analogue licences cater for a broad...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Committee (6th Day) (3 February 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I join other noble Lords in welcoming the intentions that lie behind the amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Low of Dalston, this evening. A couple of years ago, many other noble Lords and I spoke very strongly when such a help scheme was proposed for television; we have already heard how successful that has been. The noble Lord has spoken very powerfully and informatively about...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Committee (6th Day) (3 February 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: I thank the Minister for his response to this debate. I am also grateful to the noble Lords, Lord Clement-Jones and Lord De Mauley, and the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, who made very helpful comments. I welcome the Minister's assurances about the continued provision for local stations to use the FM band. He said that we had been over this ground several times, but we have done so partly because...

Digital Economy Bill [HL]: Committee (6th Day) (3 February 2010)

The Bishop of Manchester: This amendment pursues further the issue about retaining the use of the FM band for local and community radio services. I invite your Lordships to put yourselves in the shoes of someone running a small FM radio station, serving a population of 100,000 people in and around, let us say, King's Lynn. As it stands, that station's future seems to be to bid for a space on a local multiplex. That...