Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons
The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham tabled a question on the effectiveness of recruitment and retention policies for the armed forces on 7th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of their recruitment and retention policies for the armed forces.
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The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on the government’s view of watermarking AI generated content in media on 7th July, during a discussion on the impact of AI on the sustainability and reliability of news media:
The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, the Minister will be aware of the risks in AI of the impersonation of human reporting. A number of jurisdictions are experimenting with and exploring the watermarking of AI content, so that it is clear what is produced artificially and what is produced by people. The former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says in an article in the Times today that he is very sceptical of that approach. There is a counter-comment from Professor Michael Wooldridge of Oxford University commending it. Do the Government have a view on watermarking, and are their plans to introduce such legislation in the forthcoming AI Bill?
Continue reading “Bishop of Oxford asks about methods of identifying AI use in media”
On 4th July 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:
Church of England: Slavery
Neil O’Brien MP (Con, Harborough, Oadby and Wigston): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason the Church Commissioners have spent £5 million on Project Spire prior to approval from the Charity Commission.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church of England – Slavery, Churches – Flags”On 3rd July 2025, Marsha De Cordova MP, on behalf of the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:
People on Low Incomes in Rural Communities
Chris Vince MP (Lab/Co-op, Harlow) asked: 2. What steps the Church of England is taking to support people on low incomes in rural communities.
Marsha De Cordova MP (Lab, Battersea): Our most recent figures show that the Church of England was involved in more than 31,000 community projects across the country, including in my hon. Friend’s constituency of Harlow. In addition, funding for churches in the lowest income communities is set to increase from £91 million in the past three years to £133.5 million.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Support for those on Low Incomes, Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, Community Cohesion, Christians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Project Spire, Al-Ahli Hospital, Poverty”
The Bishop of Guildford asked a question on engagement with the government of India on freedom of religion and belief and treatment of religious minorities on 2nd July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, what assessment have the Government made of Indian laws on freedom of religion or belief, and how to engage with the Indian Government on the misuse of those laws to target religious minorities, especially Christians and Muslims?
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The Bishop of Guildford asked a question on the potential for humanist weddings to be introduced in England on 30th June 2025, raising the issue of commercial celebrants potentially devaluing the marriage ceremony:
The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, noble Lords will not be surprised to hear from these Benches that I am thoroughly in favour of marriage. I want to stress the many benefits of getting married in church, but I am also in favour of encouraging more people to marry wherever, provided that the ceremony reflects the seriousness of the commitment being entered into and the love that lies at its core. To that end, does the Minister agree that if adjustments were to be made to our current premises-based system to enable legal humanist marriages, the door should not be opened so wide that it brings in a free market in commercial celebrants that will cheapen and devalue what is such a vital and foundational institution?
Continue reading “Bishop of Guildford asks about preserving value of marriage ceremonies”The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question on building awareness of adult social care in the NHS workforce on 26th June 2025, during a discussion on integration between the two services:
The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: In the light of the 2023 Hewitt review into integrated care systems, how are the Government building greater awareness of adult social care in the NHS workforce in order to enable greater collaboration?
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The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 25th June 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in aiding the implementation of the Baku to Belém Roadmap in preparation for COP 30.
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about preparation for COP 30”On 25th June 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:
Clergy: Freedom of Expression
Mike Wood MP (Con, Kingswinford and South Staffordshire): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what guidance the Church of England provides to clergy on the expression of gender-critical views.
Marsha De Cordova MP (Lab, Battersea): The Church of England does not provide specific standalone guidance to clergy on the expression of gender-critical views.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Clergy – Freedom of Expression”
The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on addressing the risk of future terrorism as a result of the trauma of the current conflict in the Middle-East on 24th June 2025, following a government statement on the Israel-Iran conflict:
The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I am grateful for the Statement and the commitments the Government are making, but history teaches us that you cannot bomb an idea or a resentment out of existence. Going back to the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, about the difference between strategy and tactics, what scenario planning are the Government doing to address the next three or four generations of terrorists who are being born amid the traumas of the current violence?
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about addressing future risks presented by Israel-Iran conflict”
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