Members of the House of Lords including the President of the Community Foundation Network, the President of Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) and a Trustee of the Human Trafficking Foundation, will tomorrow discuss the role that civil society plays, in light of the light of the pastoral letter from the Church of England’s House of Bishops Who is my neighbour?
- Watch the debate on Parliament TV from 11.30am
- Read the transcript in Today’s Lords debates three hours after the debate
- List of speakers (external website)
This is a balloted debate. They usually take place on a Thursday in the Lords chamber. During debates, members are able to put their experience to good use, discussing current issues and drawing the government’s attention to concerns.
The debate will be opened by the Bishop of St. Albans, who also tabled the debate, and who said:
‘There is a worrying trend in civic life today, including voter apathy, a decline in social capital and an increasing sense of loneliness in isolated people.
‘I am hoping the debate will address two main questions: how can our politics be different, and how can our policies engage neighbourliness? Of course, politics cannot do it all, and the church, charities and voluntary organisations all have a role to play in what I hope will be the start of a ‘re-boot’ of our civil society.’
Other members scheduled to speak include:
- Baroness Butler-Sloss, Trustee of the Human Trafficking Foundation
- Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, Member of the Comite de Patronage, elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization, Zurich, which fighting poverty through entrepreneurial philanthropic projects
- Lord Judd, Vice President of the United Nations Association
- Lord Kennedy of Southwark, Trustee of the Mayor of Southwark’s Common Good Trust
- Baroness Byford, President of Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF)
- Lord Graham of Edmonton, President of the Co-operative Group Consumers Organisation
- Lord Cormack, Founder and Chairman of Heritage Matters
- Baroness Neuberger, Trustee of the Social Market Foundation
- Baroness Prashar, Deputy Chair of the British Council and President of the Community Foundation Network.
Lord Bridges of Headley will respond on behalf of the government.