Author: parliamentaryunit

House of Commons considers Armed Forces Chaplains and Abuse Redress Measure

On 1st December 2025, the House of Commons Delegated Legislation Committee sat to consider two Church Measures, the Armed Forces Chaplains (Licensing) Measure and the Abuse Redress Measure:

The Chair (David Mundell MP): I call the Second Church Estates Commissioner to move the first motion and to speak to both Measures. At the end of the debate, I will put the question on the first motion, and then ask the Commissioner to move the second motion formally.

Marsha De Cordova MP (Lab, Battersea): I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the Armed Forces Chaplains (Licensing) Measure (HC 1454).

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Bishop of Hereford tables question on effects of agricultural policy on small farms

The Bishop of Hereford tabled a question on ensuring that agricultural policies improve the profitability and long-term viability of small farming enterprises on 1st December 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Hereford: To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that agricultural policies improve the profitability and long-term viability of small farming enterprises.

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Bishop of Manchester asks about support for children orphaned as a result of AIDS

On 1st December 2025, the Bishop of Manchester asked a question on support for children orphaned as a result of AIDS, during a discussion marking World AIDS Day 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, one of the most tragic consequences of AIDS remains children who lose both their parents at a very young age and often end up in an orphanage. We were talking in the House just last week about some of the challenges of orphanages. What is the Government’s plan to support children who have been left orphaned as a result of AIDS?

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church of England (CCTV)

On 1st December 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Church of England: CCTV

Laurence Turner MP (Lab, Birmingham Northfield): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church makes funding available for the installation of CCTV cameras at pastoral buildings that are not churches.

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Crime and Policing Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments on combatting child trafficking and improving safeguarding regulations

On 27th November 2025, the Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which would expand the definition of exploitation under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to include children who have been recruited into residential care institutions that engage in orphanage trafficking:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I too support this amendment in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Randall of Uxbridge. It is my privilege, as I travel around the world visiting Anglican provinces, often to visit orphanages and see some of the work they do. As noble Lords have already said, many of these children still have a living parent somewhere, but that parent, for whatever reason, no longer feels able or wishes to look after them, particularly if the mother has died in childbirth.

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Bishop of Leicester speaks in debate on humanitarian situation in Sudan

The Bishop of Leicester spoke during the Bishop of Leeds’ debate on the humanitarian situation in Sudan on 27th November 2025, focusing on efforts to fund local partners in Sudan working to combat the crisis:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: I am grateful to noble Lords for ignoring the request from my right reverend friend the Bishop of Leeds that this should not be a valedictory debate for him. His contribution to this House, and to the Church and nation more widely, has been immense. However, I sincerely hope that this House and His Majesty’s Government will not ignore the right reverend Prelate’s words regarding Sudan, something which is very dear to his heart.

I want to focus my comments on the funding of local partners in Sudan. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact, in its October 2025 report, found that the UK Government

“in many instances demonstrated credible political leadership and strong convening power, drawing on deep networks that are valued by stakeholders”.

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Bishop of Leeds leads debate on the humanitarian situation in Sudan

On 27th November 2025, the Bishop of Leeds tabled a question for short debate on the humanitarian situation in Sudan:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in Sudan.

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Government for granting this debate at a very opportune time, with Lady Sandwich in the Gallery and a detailed report, Rivers of Blood, dedicated to the late Lord Sandwich, being delivered this morning to the APPG.

I thank the Minister for her commitment to addressing the urgent and long-term situation in Sudan, a country I love, where I have friends and which I have visited a number of times, most recently in June 2024. My concerns and engagement will continue after I retire from the House this afternoon, albeit in a different way. I note that the Order Paper says this is a valedictory speech, but I would be grateful if we kept our focus on Sudan.

The humanitarian situation in Sudan is so dire that “urgent” does not do justice to the need for action. I will not repeat the many reports from agencies engaged on the ground in Sudan, but they make for harrowing hearing and reading. A number have provided briefings in Parliament in the last few days. We had planned for the Archbishop of Sudan, Ezekiel Kondo, to be here today, but he had to return to Port Sudan a couple of days ago.

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Church Commissioners Questions: National Church Governance Measure, Identity Sexuality Relationships and Marriage, Support for Christians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Vicars (Rural Parishes), Solar Power (Churches)

On 27th November 2025, the Leader of the House of Commons, Sir Alan Campbell MP, gave the following answers to questions from MPs:

National Church Governance Measure

Danny Kruger MP (Reform, East Wiltshire) asked: 2. What guidance the Church Commissioners have received from the Charity Commission on changes proposed under the draft National Church Governance Measure.

Sir Alan Campbell MP (Lab, Tynemouth): I am sorry that the Second Church Estates Commissioner, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Marsha De Cordova), is unwell; we wish her a swift recovery. She will be listening, and if my answers fall short, I am sure that she will follow up on them with Members.

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Sentencing Bill: Bishop of Leeds tables amendment on purpose of imprisonment

On 26th November 2025, the Bishop of Leeds spoke to the Bishop of Gloucester’s amendment to the Sentencing Bill, which would seek to give a statutory definition to the purpose of imprisonment:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I shall speak to Amendment 45A in the place of the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Gloucester, who, regrettably, is not able to be here today. It seems that in wider society there is a greater push for harsher punishment and longer sentences, and there is a tension with what the purpose of such punishment is. This amendment is designed to provide some elucidation on that. It would define in law the purposes of imprisonment and require the courts and the Secretary of State to have regard to the purposes of imprisonment.

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Bishop of Leeds asks about preserving Ukrainian sovereignty

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the need to preserve the integrity of Ukraine’s sovereignty on 26th November 2025, following a government statement on the meeting of the coalition of the willing during the G20 and recent discussions on peace plans:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, one of the principles that we apply in many debates is that we should not talk about people without them being present. Can the Minister confirm that we will continue to resist the carve-up of an independent country by two major powers? That means that we have to put pressure on the United States to see this not just as an object of interest but as something that has to involve the Ukrainians at every step.

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