Category: Questions

Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons

Bishop of Norwich asks about special educational needs

The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on whether dyscalculia would be included in the work of inclusion hubs on 10th March 2026, during a discussion on special educational needs:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for the answers she has given, but I will probe a bit further in two areas. Will dyscalculia be included in the core work of the inclusion hubs that are suggested as a requirement for all secondary schools in the schools White Paper? To what extent will the newly announced “experts at hand” funding specifically be used to address support for children with this condition?

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Bishop of Norwich asks about involving faith communities in adult social care

The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on faith group, community, and voluntary sector involvement during a discussion on the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care on 9th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, in 2023, the Archbishops’ Commission on Reimagining Care encouraged a conversation not only between provider and recipient but with all those involved in care and support, to create rounded and fulfilled lives. That includes the voluntary sector, community groups and faith groups, which provide befriending and bereavement support and acts of worship in care homes. What plans does the Casey commission have to ensure that all parties participate in the national conversation mandated in its terms of reference?

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Bishop of Norwich asks about UK contribution towards COP goals

The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 9th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government how they intend to support the COP29 Collective Quantified Goal of at least $300 billion per year from the developed world by 2035.

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Bishop of Southwark asks about funding of the BBC World Service

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 9th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the funding of the BBC World Service from 1 April 2026.

Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab, FCDO): Grant-in-Aid funding for the next three years for the BBC World Service will be decided through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office allocations process, and announced in advance of the 2026/27 financial year.

Hansard

Bishop of Derby asks about youth justice and sports provision

The Bishop of Derby received the following written answers on 9th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Derby asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sport and Physical Activity in the Criminal Justice System’s report Physical Activity and Sport across the Children and Young People Secure Estate, and Adult Custodial Estate in England and Wales, published in December 2025.

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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.
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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?

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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.

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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.
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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.

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