On 24th February 2026, the House of Lords debated the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
Votes: Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church of England Redress Scheme
On 24th February 2026, the Second Church Estates Commissioner gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:
Church of England
Julia Buckley MP (Lab, Shrewsbury): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, when the Church will be opening the Church of England Redress Scheme to applications.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church of England Redress Scheme”Bishop of Leicester asks about free school meal registration
The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 23rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of potential data processing measures to enable automatic registration for free school meals.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester asks about free school meal registration”Bishop of Lincoln asks about UK steel strategy
The Bishop of Lincoln received the following written answer on 23rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Lincoln asked His Majesty’s Government what is the timeline for the publication of the steel strategy.
Continue reading “Bishop of Lincoln asks about UK steel strategy”Bishop of Southwark asks about reconstruction in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 23rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the repair of graves in the Gaza war cemetery in al-Tuffah.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about reconstruction in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories”Bishop of Norwich asks about steps to support international nature restoration
The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 23rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support international nature restoration, following their report National security assessment on global ecosystems, published on 20 January.
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about steps to support international nature restoration”Bishop of Norwich asks about funding of Israeli settlements
The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 23rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the use of charitable funds originating from the UK being used to support and maintain illegal settlements in Palestine; and whether they will undertake a review of this practice.
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about funding of Israeli settlements”Church Commissioners Written Questions: Credit Unions
On 23rd February 2026, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from an MP:
Church Commissioners: Credit Unions
Gareth Thomas MP (Lab, Harrow West): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church will offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Credit Unions”Bishop of Gloucester asks about government response to legal opinion on Israel’s activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 23rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish their formal response to the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion on Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, published on 19 July 2024.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab, FCDO): I refer the Lord Bishop to the answer provided on 1 August 2025 to Question HL9653.
Bishop of Gloucester speaks in debate on prison conditions
The Bishop of Gloucester took part in a debate on the Better Prisons: Less Crime Justice and Home Affairs Committee Report on 12th February 2026, advocating for reform of the conditions and culture inside prisons:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, as Anglican Bishop for prisons, I wholeheartedly welcome this debate and this excellent report. It is also a privilege to follow two excellent maiden speeches.
I submitted evidence to the committee, and I will continue to bang the drum for reform. Better prisons will play a vital role, but they are not the end point or the complete answer to reducing reoffending. I agree with the reframing of this from rehabilitation, as rehabilitation implies that people were once at an acceptable place in life to which they can be rehabilitated, whereas for the majority of people in prison, this was never true in the first place.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester speaks in debate on prison conditions”
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