Set up by the National Churches Trust and 2buy2, the national buying group for UK, charities, schools and churches, MaintenanceBooker helps churches to prevent problems such as leaking roofs and crumbling stonework.

Churches and chapels of all denominations can use the website to get professional help for essential maintenance tasks, thereby preventing the need for expensive repairs.

They can book gutter clearance and repairs, lightning protection inspection, tree surveys and maintenance as well as asbestos surveys and removal.

More services will be added later in the year, such as stonework and lime mortaring with bat surveys, and grounds and graveyard maintenance in the pipeline.

Becky Clark, director of churches and cathedrals for the Church of England said the website will make it easier to keep church buildings in good repair.

“Simple tasks like keeping gutters and drains clear, identifying problems with trees and properly maintaining them and ensuring stonework is well looked after will help prevent unexpected large repair bills and can encourage local people, whether churchgoers or not, to take an interest in their church,” she said.

For many churches the cost of maintenance can be a major barrier to keeping their building in good repair, so users of MaintenanceBooker can obtain Preventative Maintenance…

Lord Alton asked about the UK government’s response, including “what consideration they have given to the case for referring the government of Burma to the International Criminal Court?”

According to the United Nations (UN), renewed fighting between the Myanmar Army and Kachin Independence Army has led to the displacement of at least 4,000 civilians since early April.

In a statement on 9th June, to mark the seventh anniversary of the resumption of conflict in Kachin State, Global Kachin Communities claimed as many as 7,000 have been displaced in the past two months.

In his response, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), expressed the government’s “deep concern” at the situation.

“We have called upon the Burmese military and all parties to cease hostilities and allow the humanitarian access that is required to be provided to displaced people.

“Turning to Rakhine, the Burmese authorities must show that the commission of inquiry can deliver accountability for the perpetrators of atrocities. If not, the Government will consider supporting international routes to justice,” he said.

Rt Rev Alan Smith, Lord Bishop of St Albans noted that “the reported atrocities against the Rohingya have been described as crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and genocide”, and asked “whether the human rights violations in Kachin and Shan states meet the criteria of at least…

The international development and relief charity revealed on Wednesday that its UK chairman Clive Mather shall become the new chairman of Tearfund USA – a new part of the Tearfund “family”.

Sonia Patterson (pictured above), who takes on the role of chief executive officer, said: “I am excited to start this new chapter with Tearfund USA, building on the organisation’s global legacy of helping the most marginalised and vulnerable.

“I’m looking forward to the process of setting up the organisation in the US, meeting supporters and partners and following Jesus where the need is greatest.”

Sonia Patterson joins the organisation with 20 years’ experience developing business, non-governmental and community ties across the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Clive Mather (pictured below) commented: “Tearfund USA will be asking Christians to go deeper in thinking about how they live.

“A whole life response to poverty involves praying, giving, acting, volunteering and making lifestyle changes.

“Sometimes it will involve sacrifice and inconvenience, but it will be liberating and empowering in a way that defies worldly expectations.”

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Leo Varadkar said while individual doctors, nurses or midwives could opt out of performing procedures on conscience grounds, entire institutions will not have that option.

Mr Varadkar was addressing concerns about surgical abortions raised in the Dail by Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Mick Barry.

The government is drafting legislation that will allow for any woman to request an abortion up to 12 weeks, subject to a cooling off period, and will allow abortion in extreme cases between 12 and 24 weeks.

It comes after citizens last month voted two-to-one in a historic referendum to repeal the state’s constitutional ban on abortions.

The Taoiseach said the legislation would follow the model of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, which allowed for terminations in extreme medical circumstances, and allow individual medics to opt out.

“It will not, however, be possible for publicly funded hospitals, no matter who their patron or owner is, to opt of providing these necessary services which will be legal in this state once this legislation is passed by the Dail and Seanad,” he added.

“I’m happy to give you that assurance.”

Mr Varadkar added: “That legislation will allow individuals to opt out based on their consciences or their religious convictions but will not allow institutions to do so.

“So just as is the case now in the legislation for the Protection of…