Questions – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Southwark asks about UK response to Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 6th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government

what assessment they have made of the impact that the construction of the E1 settlement to the east of Jerusalem will have on the on the prospect of an independent, viable and contiguous Palestinian State
what assessment have they made of the merits of imposing travel or economic sanctions on individuals or bodies involved in the planning and construction of the E1 settlement to the east of Jerusalem.
what assessment they have made of the merits of (1) reviewing existing trade ties with Israel, or (2) suspending the 2030 Roadmap for UK-Israel bilateral relations and imposing targeted sanctions upon Israel, because of the planned construction of the E1 settlement.
what representations they have made to the government of Israel over the seizure of the UNESCO archaeological site at Sebastia on the West Bank, including the traditional burial place of St John the Baptist, for the new Shomron National Park.

Bishop of Leicester asks about welfare reform

The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on welfare reform during a discussion on the Access to Work Fund on 5th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, although I recognise that spending on Access to Work has increased in recent years and applaud the Government’s ambition to support more disabled people into work, this will most likely require more financial investment and more training of specialist staff. Therefore, have the Government assessed how their welfare reforms will affect demand for Access to Work and how the scheme can be strengthened to meet what may be an increased case load in coming years?

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Churches (Listed Buildings), Safeguarding, Clergy, Bishops Disciplinary Proceedings

On 5th March 2026, the second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Churches: Listed Buildings

Mr Gregory Campbell MP (DUP, East Londonderry): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, how many listed churches have been demolished in each of the last five years.

Bishop of Leicester asks about English language teaching programmes

The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 3rd March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government:

what assessment they have made of the impact on local authorities of funding changes for English for speakers of other languages programmes.
what steps they are taking to ensure that English language learning provision is accessible to those who require it, including individuals with no recourse to public funds.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about future of Iran

The Bishop of Chelmsford asked a question on the future of Iran on 2nd March 2026 following a government statement on US and Israeli strikes on the country and subsequent conflict in the Middle East:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, some of your Lordships will know of my personal interest in this topic, having experienced at first hand something of the brutality of the Iranian regime. While I certainly would not lament the end of that regime, I share the concern of those who express it that this war is neither legal nor necessary, and that peace is best secured by returning to the negotiating table—which incidentally seemed to be showing some signs of working. Does the noble Baroness agree that while the Islamic republic will certainly have been weakened by these strikes, the regime’s survival instinct is not to be underestimated? Does she agree that while Iranians must decide their own future, western Governments should be cautious about asking protesters to further degrade that regime’s capacity by protesting on the streets, when we know that the Iranian security service will likely use that as a pretext for intensified repression? A bloody descent into a Syrian-style civil war is in no one’s interest and is surely best avoided.

Bishop of Leicester asks about free school meal enrollment

The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on barriers to auto-enrolment of children for Free School Meals, during a discussion on the government’s Child Poverty Strategy on 2nd March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, like many others, I warmly welcome the child poverty strategy; there is much to commend it, such as—to pick one particular aspect—the expansion of free school meals for children. However, I have a question about auto-enrolment of children for free school meals. There is much evidence to show that auto-enrolment not only lifts children out of poverty but increases educational attainment and allows schools to ensure that they get the pupil premium needed. Can the Minister therefore tell us what barriers remain for the introduction of auto-enrolment?

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Archbishop of York raises potential adverse impact on vulnerable groups

The Archbishop of York asked a question during a debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, querying the impact the bill would have on coercion of vulnerable people, particularly those struggling to access palliative care, on 27th February 2026:

The Lord Archbishop of York: I entirely accept that those who are proposing the Bill do not propose it for the reason of trying to save money. I also entirely accept the desire from everyone in this House for better-funded palliative care. However, I need something to be explained. Taken that palliative care is inadequate and underfunded, and taken that there are huge regional variations, what I do not understand is the noble and learned Lord’s confidence that this will not lead to coercion of vulnerable people in places where palliative care is not available and cannot be afforded, which will lead to unintended consequences. I entirely accept that he does not want those consequences either, but I ask him to give me some confidence, if he can, that this will not follow.

Church Commissioners Questions: Deprived Communities, Church Attendance, Christian Communities in Palestine, Historical Forced Adoptions, Sudan Conflict

On 26th February 2026, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:

Jessica Toale MP (Lab, Bournemouth West) asked: 2. What steps the Church of England is taking to support deprived communities.

Bishop of Norwich asks about energy transition plans for businesses

The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 26th February 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made towards mandating UK-regulated financial institutions and FTSE 100 companies to implement transition plans aligned with the Paris Agreement; and what timetable they intend to set for introducing such requirements.

Bishop of Leicester asks about improving citizenship application process

The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 26th February 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to reduce processing times and improve communication with applicants for British citizenship.

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