parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Manchester welcomes focus on social care in government’s legislative agenda and urges action on global threats

The Bishop of Manchester spoke in a debate on the government’s political priorities and legislative agenda on 3rd September 2026, urging action in response to the changes in the political and global landscape since 2024 and welcoming the government’s focus on tackling homelessness and improving social care:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, the economist Keynes, upbraided for changing his view on some matters, allegedly responded with the phrase:

“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do?”

In the 26 months since the general election, the facts have changed. We have seen the US assault on Iran, the explosive growth of AI, the devastating impact of climate change—alluded to by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath—threatening harvests here while killing hundreds in Nepal and Tibet. Meanwhile, we stand closer to global war than at any time since my childhood. The facts have changed.

Keynes changed his mind. He did not resign and reapply for his post; rather, he sought to win others to his revised opinions. I have heard it said that our new Prime Minister must stick to the 2024 Labour manifesto or go to the country, but that is not how I believe Parliament should work. We are a well-informed and reasonable House. Many of us—not least on my own Bench, and the Cross-Benchers—owe no allegiance to any party master. We swear our oath, as do all noble Lords, to the Crown. We will scrutinise whatever matters are brought before us with our usual diligence. I would, however, be surprised and alarmed if we withheld consent simply because a proposal reflected the context of 2026, not 2024.

Bishop of Coventry raises importance of apprenticeships and vocational training in debate on skills

The Bishop of Coventry spoke in a debate on skills, vocational training, and further and higher education on 3rd September 2026, highlighting apprenticeships and vocational pathways as overlooked areas in helping young people into work:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, I welcome the Government’s renewed focus on technical education, youth employment and regional growth. Vocational and technical education can be one of the strongest levers for social mobility, but only where it is genuinely accessible to those who face the greatest barriers. On numerous occasions over the past 30 years of ministry, I have seen young people thrive and flourish into work due to the investment of colleges and businesses working together to enable this to happen.

Although there have been many reasons to be encouraged during my tenure so far in Coventry, it was deeply discouraging to learn of this year’s 9% GCSE attainment gap between London and my region, the West Midlands. If we are serious about opportunity in our nation, we must ensure that high-quality technical pathways are available to all young people wherever they live and not only in areas that already benefit from stronger educational outcomes. I believe that we cannot develop high-level apprenticeships at the expense of levels 2 to 4. These entry-level routes are often the vital first step towards skilled employment and further progression.

Bishop of Leicester speaks in debate on skills and vocational training

The Bishop of Leicester spoke in a debate on skills, vocational training, and further and higher education on 3rd September 2026, raising the importance of volunteering opportunities as pathways into work and social engagement for young people:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, I too am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Morgan, for securing this debate. I also express my gratitude to Alan Milburn and his team for firmly putting the number of young people out of education, employment and training on the political agenda. I think there is real cross-party consensus on the need to address what Alan Milburn was right to call a “moral crisis” facing our young people today. I sincerely hope that when the second part of his review is published, his recommendations will be taken seriously. Mr Milburn referred to the drivers behind rising NEET rates as a whole-system crisis; I would go further and characterise it as a whole-society crisis. There is an important role for community organisations to play—whether they are faith groups, uniformed groups, sports clubs or youth clubs—and for all of us as neighbours, friends and mentors to young people.

Church Commissioners Questions: Christians in Palestine, Churches: Financial Viability, Persecution of Christians Overseas, Lighthouse Summer Holiday Programme, Family Hubs and Community Cohesion, Christian Nationalism, Community Cohesion, Project Spire, Places of Worship Renewal Fund

On 3rd September 2026, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following answers to questions from MPs:

Christians in Palestine

Kate Osamor MP (Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, Lab/Co-op) asked: 1. What steps the Church of England is taking to support Christians in Palestine.

Marsha De Cordova MP: The Church condemns the persecution that we have seen and stands in solidarity with Palestinian Christian communities across the Holy Land as they continue to face profound hardship. The Church of England remains committed to supporting our Anglican partners, advocating for human rights and calling for the upholding of international humanitarian law and a just and lasting peace for the Palestinians.

Bishop of Leicester asks about civic participation in elections

The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on government efforts to enable civic participation during a discussion on electoral systems and methods of voter registration on 3rd September 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, democracy is of course about a lot more than simply voter participation. What are the Government currently doing to enable civic participation at this time, particularly by minoritised groups, which will aid in safeguarding our democracy?

Votes: Nature Restoration Levy Regulations 2026

On 3rd September 2026, a vote was held on a regret motion to the Nature Restoration Levy Regulations 2026, in which a Bishop took part:

Bishop of Norwich asks about tackling the climate crisis

The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on rebuilding consensus on the urgent need to address the climate crisis in response to the Prime Minister’s statement on the direction of government on 2nd September 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: These Benches wish the Prime Minister well and assure him of our prayers. I welcome his attendance at COP 31 in Turkey in a couple of months’ time and that he recognises the impact of climate change—he referenced the glacial collapse at the Nepal-China border with tragic loss of life and this being the hottest summer on record. How can the Government work to rebuild the cross-party consensus that there was just a few years ago about the urgent need to take action for the common good for those who share this single island planet home, both now and in the future?

Armed Forces Bill: Bishop of Norwich moves amendments on military offences and supports increases to accommodation standards

The Bishop of Norwich spoke in support of amendments on wellbeing and accommodation standards for members of the military during a debate on the Armed Forces Bill on 2nd September 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I rise to support Amendments 17 and 18 in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Smith of Newnham, and I am very grateful to her for spending time over the weekend explaining them in more detail. The noble Baroness is quite right in what she has just said to this House about the need to care for those who are in single accommodation, recognising that that accommodation can be used throughout a whole service career.

Bishop of Norwich asks about environmental impact of data centres

The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on the effectiveness of DEFRA’s current regulatory framework to provide protection for the environment from the demands of data centres on water resources on 2nd September 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, can the Minister tell us what assessment Defra has made of the current regulatory framework and whether it will provide enough protection for the environment from the cumulative demand of data centres on water resources?

Public Office (Accountability) Bill: Bishop of Manchester raises importance of justice and accountability

The Bishop of Manchester spoke at the second reading of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill on 1st September 2026, emphasising the importance of justice and accountability for bereaved families following events such as the Hillsborough Disaster and Manchester Arena Attack:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I declare my interest as co-chair of the ethics committee of the National Police Chiefs’ Council. I heartily welcome the Bill. I have spoken in this House on previous occasions regarding the need for a wide duty of candour. I am delighted that we are now making substantial progress.

The role of public officials is and always must be one of stewardship, not dominance. To remain effective, this relationship demands the ongoing consent of the people, and that is possible only through honesty, transparency and the means for communities to get to the truth when things go wrong. This necessitates a higher standard of conduct for authorities which wield greater powers and capabilities. It requires resources to level the playing field when victims seek justice. This relationship is a fragile one, but it must be carefully maintained if public authorities are to retain the respect and trust of the people they serve. The introduction of a statutory duty of candour and transparency will be an important step towards strengthening this relationship and empowering the people to hold officials accountable when that trust is broken.

As a young priest and industrial chaplain in Rotherham, I was deployed to the Hillsborough stadium when the clergy who had been present at the match were stood down. The sight of the thick, metal crush barriers at the Leppings Lane end, twisted out of shape by the sheer weight of human flesh and bone pressing down on them, still haunts me almost four decades on.

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