Lord Bishop of Portsmouth
Bishops - Bishops
Became Member: 7th January 2014
Left House: 31st May 2021 (Retired)
Division Voting information
Lord Bishop of Portsmouth voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 2 Bishops Aye votes vs 7 Bishops No votes
Tally: Ayes - 366 Noes - 268
All Debates
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
(6 debate interactions)
(5 debate interactions)
(4 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(20 debate contributions)
(18 debate contributions)
(6 debate contributions)
(5 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(689 words contributed)
(565 words contributed)
(440 words contributed)
(364 words contributed)
Lords initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Lord Bishop of Portsmouth, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Lord Bishop of Portsmouth has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Lord Bishop of Portsmouth has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Latest 13 Written Questions
(View all written questions)The policy aims to strike the appropriate balance between support for claimants with children and fairness to taxpayers and families with children who support themselves solely through work. A benefits structure that adjusts automatically to family size is ultimately not sustainable, and parents who support themselves solely through work would not generally expect to see their wages increase simply because of the addition of a new child to their family.
There are exceptions in place to support those unable to make choices about the number of children in their household.
Impacts of the latest increase in inflation on families with children have not been estimated.
However the Department’s latest Households Below Average Income statistics to 2016 published on 16th March 2017 does show how the number of children in low income households has changed with reference to inflation (the measure is called absolute low income). Since 2010, there has been a decrease of 200,000 children before housing costs (BHC) in absolute low income. After housing costs (AHC) had been taken into account, there were 100,000 fewer children in absolute low income since 2010.
In terms of proportions, there have also been reductions in the rates of absolute low income on both bases - BHC down by 2 percentage points, and AHC down by 1 percentage point since 2010.
DWP has taken steps to raise awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances. Jobcentres have posters and leaflets covering Short Term Benefit Advances and staff have been provided with updated guidance. Information is also available on GOV.UK
We are continuing to monitor the impact of this activity on the number of requests for STBAs.
DWP has taken steps to raise awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances. Jobcentres have posters and leaflets covering Short Term Benefit Advances and staff have been provided with updated guidance. Information is also available on GOV.UK
We are continuing to monitor the impact of this activity on the number of requests for STBAs.
Statistics regarding the number of families affected by the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children were published on 28 June 2018, and relate to the position at 2 April 2018. Figures showing the number of families affected in April 2019 are expected to be released in summer 2019.
The latest estimates of the Exchequer savings relating to the policy were published in table 2.2 of the Spring Budget 2017. The relevant figures are shown in the table below.
Estimated Exchequer savings from the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children, Spring Budget 2017 basis
£m | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Savings | +310 | +765 | +1205 | +1615 | +1990 |
For the numbers of children affected by the policy at April 2018, I refer the noble Lord to my response on 25 July 2018 to the Lord Bishop of Durham (HL9479). The next statistical update, covering the position at April 2019, is expected to be released in summer 2019.
Figures for additional months are only available at disproportionate cost.
The government is committed to supporting families. To achieve this, we introduced the Family Test, which aims to ensure that impacts on family relationships and functioning are recognised early on during the process of policy development and help inform the policy decisions made by Minsters. The Family Test was introduced in 2014, and remains official government policy. The guidance for implementing the Family Test can be found here and is also attached :
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-test-assessing-the-impact-of-policies-on-families
The Family Test was considered during the development of the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children in Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit. The published Impact Assessment shows the measure will have a positive impact on overall family stability. The Impact Assessment is attached.
Claimants were alerted to the policy changes at the time they were announced by high level messaging on the GOV.UK website in 2015.
Tax credits claimants were informed about the upcoming policy change in a letter that was sent with their renewals notices between April and June 2016. A follow up flyer will go out in all new claims packs and renewals packs from April 2017.
In August 2016 high level amendments were made to the GOV.UK website’s information about Child Tax Credit to advise potential claimants about these changes.
Further details were published as part of a consultation in October 2016 and in response to the consultation in January 2017.
HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have also worked with representative bodies and stakeholders who will be able to advise claimants about the changes.
All tax credits products (for example, award notices, leaflets, and supporting notes) have been updated with a high level message outlining the new policy.
DWP will offer support to claimants through Jobcentres by trained staff as needed.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
3 Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Questions
(View all Lord Bishop of Portsmouth's DLUHC questions)The government knows the value of projects funded by the European Structural Fund to disadvantaged communities and individuals. We continue to develop the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will seek to reduce inequalities across the whole of the UK.
In the mean time the UK will remain in European Structural and Investment Funds until the 2014-20 programme closes, under the terms of the Joint Report made in December 2017.
This will ensure that local areas across the UK continue to have access to their notional allocations, providing the projects are aligned to domestic priorities and represent value for money and is subject to agreed performance and spend targets, under a business as usual approach.
The government knows the value of projects funded by the European Structural Fund to disadvantaged communities and individuals. We continue to develop the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will seek to reduce inequalities across the whole of the UK.
In the mean time the UK will remain in European Structural and Investment Funds until the 2014-20 programme closes, under the terms of the Joint Report made in December 2017.
This will ensure that local areas across the UK continue to have access to their notional allocations, providing the projects are aligned to domestic priorities and represent value for money and is subject to agreed performance and spend targets, under a business as usual approach.
The government announced in the Industrial Strategy white paper that we intend to launch a full public consultation on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and we will do so later in the year.