On 16th July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Employment Rights Bill. Votes were held on an amendment to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
Votes: Employment Rights Bill
Author: parliamentaryunit
Bishop of Manchester asks about behaviour of overseas UK diplomats
The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on payment of fines and charges by UK diplomatic staff serving overseas on 16th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it is tempting to suggest that when the American President arrives, we call them not charges but tariffs, as that seems to be a word he finds much more popular. More seriously, can the Minister assure us that, at the same time as we are trying to crack down on diplomats in this country, British diplomats and their staff overseas are correctly paying all fines, charges and other tariffs that they are supposed to pay?
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about behaviour of overseas UK diplomats”Bishop of Gloucester asks about trade with businesses based in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 16th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what diplomatic support and business assistance they provide to UK-registered companies that trade in goods and services that facilitate and profit from the construction and growth of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about trade with businesses based in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”Bishop of Southwark asks about religious freedom in Armenia
The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 16th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of arrests made in the Republic of Armenia of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan; and the impact the arrests may have on freedom of religion in Armenia.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about religious freedom in Armenia”Votes: Renters Rights Bill
On 15th July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Renters Rights Bill. Votes were held on an amendment to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
Renters Rights Bill: Bishop of Manchester moves amendment on Decent Homes Standard
On 15th July 2025, the Bishop of Manchester moved his amendment 105 to the Renters Rights Bill, and spoke in support of two further amendments:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: 105: Clause 101, page 134, line 11, leave out from “(homelessness)” to end of line 13
Member’s explanatory statement: This amendment would make the Decent homes standard apply to all homeless temporary accommodation provided under the Housing Act 1996.
My Lords, I declare my interests as set out in the register. My wife and I own one apartment; it is in the West Midlands, and it is let out. Nothing in this amendment or any others in this group would provide me with any advantage that I can foresee.
Amendment 105 seeks to extend the decent homes standard to temporary accommodation. As I said in Committee—and hence I can be extremely brief today—those in temporary accommodation are among the most vulnerable in our society. They are already battling against major disadvantages, and being placed in properties that fail the standard simply adds to their burden.
Continue reading “Renters Rights Bill: Bishop of Manchester moves amendment on Decent Homes Standard”Bishop of Gloucester asks about conflict in Gaza and two-state solution
The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 15th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government:
- what assessment they have made of the attacks by Israel on the Al Ahli Hospital on 13 April and 5 June.
- what assessment they have made of whether Palestinian armed groups are using hospitals and medical centres to shelter from attack.
- whether they will advocate for an independent and thorough investigation of all Israeli attacks on hospitals, healthcare infrastructure and medical personnel in Gaza, and the alleged misuse of those facilities.
Votes: Employment Rights Bill
On 14th July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Employment Rights Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
Bishop of Manchester asks about equity in the courts
The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on equitable treatment of those from minority-ethnic backgrounds in the courts on14th July 2025, during a discussion on proposed restrictions on trial by jury:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it was my privilege this lunchtime to be with a group of young legal students with very diverse backgrounds except that they had all been through the care system—a group of people who are more likely than anybody else to be charged and prosecuted for behaviours that others might be treated more favourably over. The same often applies to people from minority-ethnic backgrounds. Does the Minister agree that dealing with that disproportionality in how people are treated for the same behaviour by the legal system will be a good way to reduce some of the waiting lists of courts?
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about equity in the courts”Bishop of Gloucester asks about approaches to trade with Israeli settlements
The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 14th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what percentage of imports of goods and services into the UK from the Occupied Palestinian Territories originate from, or are linked to, activities related to settlements in (1) 2021, (2) 2022, (3) 2023, (4) 2024, and (5) 2025.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about approaches to trade with Israeli settlements”
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