the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, first, I thank all noble Lords for their welcome to the House and for the careful way in which they ensure that new Members are able to find their way around the maze of corridors and the myriad of customs, conventions and standing orders that seem to govern the way we do business around here. I am grateful for the graciousness and patience of all noble Lords. I am particularly...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I declare an interest in that theological education is one of the areas likely to be most affected by these funding changes. I am grateful for the opportunity to express gratitude to HEFCE and the Government for the way they have worked with us to try to ensure that the unintended consequences of the changed financial arrangements do not impact disproportionately on those training...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I am grateful for the Minister's assurance that every effort will be made to match the repayment schedules to the needs of the individual farmers, but is he aware that particular farmers will not be able to access the uphill entry level stewardship scheme and will therefore lose that source of income and be further afflicted? I declare an interest as a trustee of the ARC-Addington...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, in thanking the Minister for this Statement, I know that I speak for many, particularly those who are living, working and ministering in areas affected by the downturn in the automotive industry, when I say that this level of support and commitment is to be very much looked on with favour. Perhaps the Minister is disappointed that within this debate so far precious little has been...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I wonder whether your Lordships will permit me to come at this at a slightly different angle and ask the Minister if he would join me in congratulating the BBC on its extraordinarily skilled and sensitive coverage of the conflict in Gaza, particularly given the draconian restrictions under which the media were forced to operate? Furthermore, would he join me in applauding the...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, after the very detailed scrutiny of a particular clause by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd, I wish to dwell a little on some of the fundamental principles that will pertain to any debate around such issues as borders, citizenship and immigration. After all, what is a border? Is it a barrier or is it a meeting place? I imagine that most of us want to believe that a border can...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I spoke on the Bill at an early stage and made the plea that we as a nation should attempt at least to treat our borders as meeting places rather than barriers. The Bill has been significantly improved during its progress through this House, not least by the general spirit that seems to reflect a desire around the House for us to move towards that kind of understanding of our...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords—
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness the Leader of the House for her Statement. I should like to reassure the House of the continuing support and prayers of the Lords spiritual. Is the noble Baroness aware that over the past few months we have been affected, as have others, by the challenges to the integrity of both Houses, for different reasons? In terms of exercising our role in this House,...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I join other noble Lords in acknowledging the concise way in which the Minister introduced this wide-ranging Bill. I am particularly glad to be following the noble Lord, Lord Rix, whose experience in supporting those with learning difficulties is beyond parallel. I identify myself entirely with his sentiments and with those of the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, on those children who...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords—
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I wonder whether noble Lords would permit me to locate this debate within a wider debate. My sense is that in recent years there has been a significant erosion of confidence. Those who have had charges made against them, and where criminal proceedings have not been instituted, have nonetheless felt that they have not been thereby declared innocent. This has happened significantly in...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, positioned as I am approximately half-way through the list of speakers for today, perhaps it provides an opportunity for me to summarise some of the themes that have emerged. I do so principally in relation to education and that part of the gracious Speech relating to yet another proposed education Bill. I shall draw on many of the insights that have already been shared with the...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, the Minister answered the question put by his noble friend Lord Judd in terms of the levels of funding in the recent past, but has not answered it with regard to reassurance for the future. Given the Government's rather dubious criteria of functionality to render educational research worthwhile, is he aware that recent evidence suggests that for every £1 invested in humanities...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, as the progress of this Bill has adequately demonstrated, legislating in the realms of crime and security can be a hazardous business at the best of times. In Holy Week, when Christians follow the fortunes of probably the most famous victim of injustice in the history of the world, I am emboldened to intervene where angels, let alone bishops, might fear to tread. Why is crime and...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, it may surprise you that an English Bishop from an English diocese rises to intervene in this debate. However, we represent in an indirect way our colleagues from the Welsh dioceses, and I know from prior consultation that they are grateful that these orders are before the House and wish them to be given a fair wind. My second reason for intervening is a general principle....
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, can the Minister comment on the fact that a great deal of the incentive towards prostitution is driven by drug addiction? Can we have an assurance that one way in which to deal with this issue is to ring-fence the current provision of rehabilitation facilities for those dependent on drugs who are likely to end up in prostitution or, indeed, to see that provision enhanced against a...
the Bishop of Lincoln: Perhaps I may associate these Benches with the sentiments expressed this afternoon. These events challenge very much the whole culture of a community and the place of faith in the way in which we interpret the vulnerability of our humanity. Such events expose the nature of our humanity, sometimes at its most raw, but also, as noble Lords have testified, at its very best. We pay tribute to the...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I welcome this opportunity to join others in paying tribute to the new Minister. I also pay tribute to the noble Baroness, Lady Morgan, with whom I have locked horns once or twice in the past. I was very grateful for her speech and for the maiden speeches of the noble Lords, Lord Hill, Lord Hall and Lord Kakkar, and of my noble friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of...
the Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate in my capacity as chair of the Church of England Board of Education and the council of the National Society which, next year, celebrates 200 years of delivering excellent education across all communities and throughout the country. I am grateful to the Minister for the way in which he has consulted us and co-operated...
