Tag: Newcastle
Bishop of Newcastle asks Government to help small charities involved in probation services
On 5th June 2019 the Bishop of Newcastle, Rt Revd Christine Hardman, asked a question she had tabled, on the national probation service. The answer, her follow-up, and those of other Members are reproduced below:
Probation: Voluntary Sector
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the voluntary sector can contribute to an effective national probation service.
The Advocate-General for Scotland (Lord Keen of Elie) (Con): My Lords, voluntary organisations play an important role in helping offenders turn their lives around. We are determined to strengthen this role. In May, the Government set out our plans for future probation arrangements, including that the National Probation Service will directly commission specialist and voluntary sector organisations to deliver rehabilitation services. We are engaging closely with voluntary sector providers to ensure that our arrangements maximise their potential engagement.
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I thank the Minister for his Answer and welcome the proposal in the Strengthening Probation, Building Confidence consultation, which promises a clearer role for the voluntary sector. My concern, however, is that the consultation proposes ongoing mini-competitions and a mixed market for services. Can the Minister tell us how the Government will ensure that smaller charities are helped to spend less time competing for contracts and more time serving the community?
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Author parliamentaryunitPosted on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 Friday, June 7, 2019 Categories QuestionTags Newcastle, probation, voluntary sector
Bishop of Newcastle asks Government about mental health support for children in alternative provision
On Wednesday 27th March 2019 Lord Storey asked the Government "what plans they have to ensure that all alternative education providers are providing a quality education." The Bishop of Newcastle, Rt Revd Christine Hardman, asked a follow up question:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I am grateful for the Question from the noble Lord, Lord Storey, and for the Minister's answers to previous questions. At the Aspire Academy in Hull, an alternative provision ​academy that forms part of the Sentamu Academy Learning Trust, a unique multi-professional team that includes a clinical psychologist, a psychotherapist, speech and language therapists and educational psychologists is in place to ensure that students' mental health and special educational needs are met. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that mental health care and special needs provision are part of what it means for alternative provision providers to offer a quality education?
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Author parliamentaryunitPosted on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 Friday, March 29, 2019 Categories QuestionTags education, mental health, Newcastle, special educational needs
Bishop of Newcastle – abuse and threats toward MPs unacceptable and risk to democracy
On 25th March 2019 the House of Lords heard the repeat of a statement from the Prime Minister on Brexit. The Bishop of Newcastle, Rt Revd Christine Hardman, spoke in the debate:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, following the Prime Minister's Statement in the other place this afternoon, it is clear that we remain in a place of deep uncertainty. We are still asked to note the two dates of 12 April and 22 May, signifying that there are at least two, probably more, very different directions we might still take as a country.
I shall not focus on the choices before us, but I note that, whether by intention or default, we will make a choice—a choice will be made—and, beyond that choice, we have to live together. We are experiencing a time of extraordinary turbulence and toxicity in our political life, and it is how we navigate and respond to that turbulence and toxicity now and in future that I shall address in the remainder of the time available to me this afternoon.
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Author parliamentaryunitPosted on Monday, March 25, 2019 Friday, March 29, 2019 Categories SpeechTags brexit, democracy, Europe, Newcastle, political parties
Bishop of Newcastle asks Government about improving access to mental health care for children and young people
On 25th March 2019 the Bishop of Newcastle, Rt Revd Christine Hardman, asked a question she had tabled, on child and adolescent mental health services:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve children's and young people's access to mental health care.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford) (Con): My Lords, the NHS is on track to meet the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health commitment that 70,000 more children and young people will access treatment each year by 2020-21. Under the NHS Long Term Plan, a further 345,000 children and young people will receive support by 2023-24. Our recent Green Paper sets out our plans to pilot a four-week waiting time for specialist NHS mental health services for children and young people.
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I thank the Minister for her remarks and welcome the commitment to prioritising investment in mental health care for children and young people. However, data published by the NHS in November showed that only one in four young people with a mental health disorder accessed specialist mental health services in the previous year. I welcome plans from the Government to increase this figure to 100% within the decade, but given that three-quarters of children with a diagnosable mental health condition do not currently get access to the support they need, how will the Government act to help this generation of children who will have moved on to adult services before this rollout is complete?
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Author parliamentaryunitPosted on Monday, March 25, 2019 Friday, March 29, 2019 Categories QuestionTags children, mental health, Newcastle
Bishop of Newcastle asks Government about hate crime in schools and vandalism at Bahr Academy
On 13th February 2019 the Bishop of Newcastle, Rt Revd Christine Hardman, received a written answer to a question on hate crime in schools and the specific case of the vandalism at Bahr Academy in her diocese:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle hate crime in schools; and what assessment they have made of the recent incident of vandalism at Bahr Academy.
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Author parliamentaryunitPosted on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 Friday, March 8, 2019 Categories QuestionTags education, hate crime, Newcastle, racism, schools
Offensive Weapons Bill – Bishop of Newcastle asks Government to think again on Knife Crime Prevention Orders
On 6th February 2019 the House of Lords considered the Government's Offensive Weapons Bill in its third day of Committee. The Bishop of Newcastle, Rt Revd Chrisine Hardman spoke against Government amendments to create new Knife Crime Prevention Orders. The amendments were withdrawn following the debate, but the Minister indicated they were likely to be returned to again at a later stage:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: Before becoming Bishop of Newcastle, I was an archdeacon in south-east London. In my archdeaconry, sadly, was Eltham, where Stephen Lawrence died. I do not, therefore, underestimate the sheer heartbreak and devastation of knife crime, particularly when young people are involved. This crime is growing and growing. I have sat with families whose children have been victims of knife crime. I have officiated at a funeral where that has been the case. The circles of devastation and heartbreak just go on and on. I do not underestimate the seriousness of this problem; nevertheless, I object to this amendment and hope that it will be withdrawn, so that there is more time to reflect on it. Continue reading "Offensive Weapons Bill – Bishop of Newcastle asks Government to think again on Knife Crime Prevention Orders"
Author parliamentaryunitPosted on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 Friday, February 8, 2019 Categories BillTags children, crime, criminal justice, Newcastle, Offensive Weapons BIll 2018-19, prisons
Bishop of Newcastle calls for improved rail services and infrastructure in the north east
On 23rd January 2019 Lord Teverson asked Her Majesty's Government "what steps they are taking to improve rail service reliability in 2019." The Bishop of Newcastle, Rt Revd Christine Hardman, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, the latest quarterly statistics released from the Office of Rail and Road show that the London North Eastern Railway has suffered its worst punctuality levels in over a decade and came second—not an honour—on the list of the 10 worst train services for punctuality. As my noble friend Lord Cormack said, we had hopes for the new Azuma trains, but there is a lack of investment in infrastructure in the north—the signalling systems north of York are over 30 years old. Will the Minister tell us when the necessary infrastructure works will take place in order for these trains to run as they should to serve the people of the north-east and Scotland?
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Author parliamentaryunitPosted on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 Thursday, January 24, 2019 Categories QuestionTags Newcastle, railway, transport