It would seem odd to me if I were to just sit here silently after people, particularly the noble Baroness, have said what they have. First, I am sure that no one in the House of Bishops would have approached with anything other than irony the fact that the statement was issued on 14 February. Secondly, I entirely associate myself with the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Alli, about Uganda...
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her characteristically clear introduction to this debate and for setting the context so succinctly. In December 2002, I was called to 10 Downing Street for a clandestine meeting with the Prime Minister’s appointments secretary to talk about the possibility of my going to the See of Wakefield. When I arrived, I was terrified that my cover might be blown,...
My Lords, will the Minister join me in welcoming this morning’s announcement by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government that the Near Neighbours scheme—a very successful collaboration between faith groups and government—is being extended for a further two years? Does he also agree that the scheme is an excellent example of strengthening social cohesion in ways that...
My Lords, I want to focus particularly on the impact on small towns, which may not necessarily have trains and buses bringing people into them. Where there are not just large-scale out-of-town developments but also small-scale shopping centres, where it is easy to park for nothing, the impact on the high street is significant. In Mirfield, in the diocese from which I come, free parking has...
My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Prosser, on securing this debate. I reassure noble Lords that I am not speaking simply to bring a modicum of gender balance to the Chamber. Many years ago now, when we were living in the East Midlands, my wife was a volunteer at a women’s refuge. She was scrupulous in maintaining confidentiality about those who used the refuge. None...
My Lords, perhaps I may focus my question on Ukraine. It seems to me that there are some senses—not exactly repetitions—in which we are seeing replayed some of the things that were not resolved in the early 1990s with the collapse of the Soviet Union. I remember that at that time I was working at Lambeth as the archbishop’s foreign secretary, as it were, and on one occasion the...
My Lords, having been one of the signatories, along with 26 other Anglican bishops, to the letter that went to the Daily Mirror last week, I am loath to speak too much about amendments to government legislation. However, on this particular occasion, because bereavement support is such a notable part of our business and ministry, I am very bothered about the direction in which the legislation...
My Lords, I hope that not too much of what is about to follow will be seen as motherhood and apple pie. Being at the stage of trying to lose some weight, too much apple pie is no good thing, and I have not yet tried motherhood. Those of us who are survivors of the post-Second World War baby boomer generation probably had parents who served in the forces during that war. My own father was a...
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with other European Union member states about bringing forward the signing and ratification of the European Union’s Association Agreement with Moldova.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any decision has yet been taken to send European Union observers to monitor the parliamentary elections to be held in Moldova later this year.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what political and military assurances, if any, they have given to the government of Moldova regarding the territorial independence and sovereignty of that country.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans ministers have to visit Moldova or meet government representatives of that country.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with other European Union member states about the introduction of a visa waiver programme between the European Union and Moldova.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking with their European partners to de-escalate tensions between Moldova and the autonomous regions of Transnistria and Gagauzia.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes Region is implemented in a manner that ensures that the views of the population are taken into account.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to allocate additional resources to support the implementation of commitments outlined in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and, if so, what will be the main focus of those resources.
