Questions – Page 2 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Norwich asks about economic impact of current conflict in the Middle East

The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on the impact of the current conflict in the Middle East, following a government statement on the economic impact of the situation on 26th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I welcome this Statement and join the Chancellor speaking in the other place in paying tribute to our Armed Forces. In particular, I welcome support for those families and households hardest hit; however, I share the concern of the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, for small businesses, and extend that with a question around what we are doing to support the charitable sector: for example, from my recent experience, in the transport costs associated with food banks, in heating warm hubs and so on. We have a responsibility to care for those who care for others, and I ask what the Government are doing to support that work.

Bishop of Lichfield asks about support for interfaith work and combatting antisemitism

The Bishop of Lichfield asked a question on antisemitism in the UK, attitudes to the situation in Israel/Palestine, and interfaith engagement on 26th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Lichfield: My Lords, as noble Lords have said, we should all be deeply concerned by the resurgence of antisemitism around the world. We must all unequivocally condemn the sickening recent incidents in our own country. The definition of antisemitism agreed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is widely, though not universally, accepted, including by our own Government. It has also been adopted by the Church of England. Attached to that definition is a list of 11 possible examples of contemporary antisemitism, of which seven reference attitudes to the State of Israel. Would the Minister agree that one-sided, simplistic or inaccurate accounts of what is a complex and contested situation in Israel-Palestine can fuel the growth of antisemitism and other forms of religious hatred, including in our own country? If so, what support are His Majesty’s Government able to give to interfaith organisations that seek to present more balanced views and to encourage dialogue and learning around these difficult issues?

Bishop of Gloucester asks about compassionate release of prisoners

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 25th March 2026:

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

how many prisoners (1) applied for, and (2) were granted, early release on compassionate grounds in each of the past five years.
whether a three-month prognosis is required for a prisoner to be considered for early release on compassionate grounds.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about changes to refugee status and housing

The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answers on 24th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked His Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish the National Centre for Social Research evaluation of the pilot move on period for newly recognised refugees to leave asylum accommodation.

Bishop of Oxford asks about UK Steel Industry

The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on high energy costs in response to a government statement on the UK steel industry on 23rd March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, for seven years I was privileged to be the Bishop of Sheffield, and I am familiar with the complex ecology of south Yorkshire, articulated by the noble Lord, Lord Fox. For those seven years, each year I was the guest of the Cutlers Company, who would invite a Minister, always from London and normally the Chancellor. In those years it was the coalition and Conservative Governments. The script followed by the speakers from the Cutlers Company, who did not mince their words, was always the same. It was about the neglect of the manufacturing industry by government and, in particular, high energy costs. This seems to me to be the key to the next chapter in this strategy.

Bishop of Norwich asks about heart disease screenings

The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 23rd March 2026:

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

why patients on warfarin are expected to pay for a coagulometer to self-test International Normalised Ratio levels or use an NHS nurse appointment for monitoring.
what assessment they have made of the feasibility of making coagulometers available for loan to patients self-testing International Normalised Ratio levels on the same basis that blood glucose testing meters are available free to diabetics through the NHS.

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Bishop of Newcastle speaks on issue of coercion

During a debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 20th March 2026, the Bishop of Newcastle spoke in support of amendments to the bill aimed at providing protection to those vulnerable to coercion:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I am grateful to my right reverend friend the Bishop of Southwark for preparing the way for some of the comments that I wish to make briefly now. Broadly, this group seeks to address issues around communication, language barriers and interpreters and I support the amendments laid before your Lordships’ House in that regard.

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Ground Rent and Leasehold, Council Tax

On 20th March 2026, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Church of England: Ground Rent and Leasehold

Sir James Cleverly MP (Con, Braintree): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England had made representations to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on (a) restrictions on ground rents and (b) leasehold reform in the last year.

Pension Schemes Bill: Bishop of Hereford supports amendments on trust management

On 19th March 2026, the Bishop of Hereford spoke in support of an amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill tabled by Baroness Noakes on allowing Master Trusts which deliver good investment performance to be excluded from the scale requirements of the bill, raising the example of faith-based funds:

The Lord Bishop of Hereford: My Lords, I speak in favour of Amendment 55, in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes. There is a questionable theory of change in the Bill—that bigger pension schemes are necessarily better, suggesting the minimum scale of £25 billion. While scale certainly creates advantages, Australian experience suggests that funds can be run at less than this size and still provide value and good outcomes for members. However, concentrating the market into a few megafunds introduces a new system of risk, of schemes that become too big to fail and so are effectively the state’s problem.

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