Author: parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Chester asks about investment in vocational partnerships and education

The Bishop of Chester asked a question on investment in vocational partnerships in prisons during a discussion on prison education on 24th February 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Chester: I was encouraged by the Minister’s previous comments. I was going to ask about vocational education and whether the impact of that is being measured. Clearly, all education matters. At a recent visit to HMP Styal, I was particularly impressed by the work of The Clink, which sadly has shut after 10 years. How can the Government invest better in partnerships in that vocational sphere?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Hansard

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.

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