09 February 2012
PRIVATE MEMBERS' MOTIONS
REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS (GS 1856A and GS
1856B)
Professor Anthony Berry (Chester) moved:
'That this Synod request that the Archbishops' Council establish
a working group with members from each House of the General Synod
to prepare the Church of England's official response to the
Government's consultation on the reform of the House of Lords and
that any such Church of England response should be tabled at
General Synod in February 2012 for debate and approval.'
Following debate and amendment, the motion was carried in the
following form:
'That this Synod, welcoming both the Archbishops' submission to
the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the draft Bill on House of
Lords Reform and the extension of the Episcopal group on Lords
Reform to include members of the other two Houses of Synod:
(a) invite the extended group to bring to the February 2013
group of sessions
(i) an assessment of the implications for the Church and nation
of any Bill to be brought forward by the Government, and
(ii) recommendations for changes in custom and practice to
accommodate any new requirements placed on the Church.'
Audio of
session
HEALTH CARE AND THE CHURCH'S MISSION: REPORT FROM THE
MISSION AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL (GS 1857)
The Bishop of Bristol (Vice-Chair of the Mission and
Public Affairs Council) moved:
'That this Synod, mindful of Our Lord's ministry of healing and
his charge to his disciples to heal the sick in his name:
(a) affirm the ministry of all who promote health and wholeness
in body, mind and spirit, and call upon Her Majesty's Government to
ensure that chaplaincy provision remains part of the core structure
of a National Health Service committed to physical, mental and
spiritual health;
(b) call upon Her Majesty's Government to apply as the test to
any proposed changes to the NHS whether they are best calculated to
secure the provision throughout the country of effective and
efficient healthcare services provided free at the point of
delivery and according to clinical need;
(c) commend the work of mission agencies and the networks of the
Anglican Communion in embodying the churches' contribution to
health and wholeness and promoting fairer sharing of health
resources worldwide.'
Following debate and amendment, the motion was carried in the
following form:
'That this Synod, mindful of Our Lord's ministry of healing and
his charge to his disciples to heal the sick in his name:
(a) affirm the ministry of all who promote health and wholeness
in body, mind and spirit, and, recognising in particular the role
of chaplains in the NHS as an expression of the Church of England's
commitment to minister to all in the community, whether as patients
or healthcare workers, call upon Her Majesty's Government to ensure
that chaplaincy provision remains part of the core structure of a
National Health Service committed to physical, mental and spiritual
health;
(b) call upon Her Majesty's Government to apply as the test to
any proposed changes to the NHS whether they are best calculated to
secure the provision throughout the country of effective and
efficient healthcare services provided free at the point of
delivery and according to clinical need;
(c) commend the work of mission agencies and the networks of the
Anglican Communion in embodying the churches' contribution to
health and wholeness and promoting fairer sharing of health
resources worldwide.'
A count of the whole Synod was taken, there voting 208 for, 0
against, with 1 abstaining.
Audio of
session
A FAREWELL to the Rt Revd John Hind, Bishop of
Chichester, was given by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
PROROGATION
Audio of
session