Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 4 July 2023 (HL Deb col 1125), what progress they have made on the consultation on enhancing information sharing.

Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government will consult the relevant authorities with the aim of finding ways to improve information sharing to facilitate enforcement of existing electoral law and report its conclusions to Parliament by the end of 2024.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk posed by the explosives on board the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery; what plans they have to mitigate that risk; and to what extent they have been implemented.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

We manage the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery to ensure public safety. Our approach includes an exclusion zone, 24/7 monitoring and regular condition surveys which are published on gov.uk.

There is no indication that the risk has increased but we continue to take expert advice on further mitigation. Our current focus is on reducing the height of the wreck’s three masts. Additional surveys to inform that work remain ongoing and will inform future management strategies.

Found: Lord Evans of Weardale, and Rt Hon Sir Peter Riddell CBE Oral Evidence

Found: proposed further witnesses from whom evidence may be sought : the Local Government Association, Lord Evans of Weardale

Question

To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to ensure the next Archbishop of Canterbury upholds the values of Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL was appointed by the Prime Minister to be the Chair of the Crown Nominations Committee (CNC) for the See of Canterbury on 16th December: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/appointment-of-chairman-of-the-crown-nominations-commission-for-canterbury-16-december-2024

In February and March 2025 the Church of England will undertake an extensive public consultation exercise to inform the CNC's discernment. The consultation will consider the role of the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the mission of the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion, and the gifts, skills, and experience needed in the next Archbishop.

Through this consultation, Members of Parliament and the public will be able to submit their views on how the Church of England engages on a wide range of issues—including freedom of religion and belief—and the leadership required from the next Archbishop. Specific details of how to contribute to the consultation are expected to be made available in the next few weeks.

Once open, the consultation will be available here: https://www.churchofengland.org/about/governance/archbishops/appointing-new-archbishop-canterbury

The bishops of the Church of England frequently raise issues of freedom of religion and belief in the House of Lords, and seek to highlight the need for its protection overseas in their visits and public interventions. The Bishop of Winchester, in 2019 as Bishop of Truro, authored the Independent Review for the UK Foreign Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Support for Persecuted Christians. The Church also looks forward to working with the newly appointed Prime Ministerial Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief

Found: Government as an independent body.8 During evidence to a PACAC inquiry into The Elections Bill, Lord Evans of Weardale

Found: the system, but that kind of built-in ownership and accountability for what they do. ”129 Lord Evans of Weardale

Found: Lord Evans of Weardale, KCB, DL, Chair of the Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury welcomed the

Found: The Prime Minister has appointed The Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL to be the Chairman of the Crown Nominations

Found: help ensure a consistent and safe framework for regulating AI within healthcare. 4 Lord Evans of Weardale

Found: Yours sincerely, Lord Evans of Weardale, KCB DL Chair, Committee on Standards in Public Life Regulators

Found: Yours sincerely, Lord Evans of Weardale, KCB DL Chair, Committee on Standards in Public Life Public Bodies

Found: exercise to ensure we can adopt best practice with regards to AI governance.Questions from Lord Evans of Weardale

Found: REPORT Reforming standards in central government - a step forward 21 , July 2023 Former Chair, Lord Evans of Weardale

Found: the system, but that kind of built-in ownership and accountability for what they do. ”129 Lord Evans of Weardale