Oral & written questions in the Lords and Commons
The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 16th December 2025:
The Bishop of Norwich: To ask His Majesty’s Government how the proposed extension of existing gas and oil drilling in the North Sea aligns with calls arising from the Global Stocktake to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee.
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The Bishop of Derby asked a question on maintaining high ethical standards for AI implementation by government and local authorities on 15th December 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, impressive work is already under way to drive technological innovation across local and regional government. Derby City Council was the first in the UK to introduce phone assistants powered by generative AI—they are called Darcie, Ali and Perrie; do come and ask me why they have those names if you want to know—to streamline call centre interactions with residents. I declare my interest as Bishop of Derby and a member of the Derby City Partnership board. How will the Minister’s department learn from best practice and pilot initiatives across local and regional government to ensure that AI implementation maintains inclusivity and high ethical standards in all sectors?
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The Bishop of Manchester received the following written answer on 12th December 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Crisis and Resilience Fund will help local authorities to address the causes of financial crisis instead of the symptoms.
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The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on revitalisation of historic city centre churches during a discussion on urban renewal on 11th December 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, has the Minister considered the significance of historic church buildings in city centre revitalisation? In my diocese, for instance, the recent renewal of St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark has not only repaired the grade 1 listed building but significantly developed the town’s cultural and economic vitality. There is uncertainty about the future scheme for VAT relief for listed churches, and the cap introduced last year affected long-planned projects around the country. What assessment have His Majesty’s Government made of the impact of that and of continuing the scheme beyond March next year without the cap?
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about role of historic churches in urban renewal”The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answers on 12th December 2025:
The Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have for legislation to make it mandatory for insurance companies to provide flood cover at an affordable and fair price, to supersede the temporary Flood Re scheme.
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about environmental concerns on flooding and marshland”
The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on specialist trauma training for armed forces chaplains, during a discussion on support for victims of sexual violence in the armed forces on 9th December 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, given that chaplains routinely provide partial support for victims of crime, including sexual offences, can the Minister outline what steps His Majesty’s Government are taking to ensure that Armed Forces chaplains receive specialist trauma-informed training so that they can support survivors of sexual violence? Is such training consistent across the services?
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The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on support provided for care-leavers entering higher education during a discussion on reducing the level of young people not in work, education or training on 8th January 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, care-experienced young people are particularly at risk of being not in work, education or training. Has the Minister taken note of the support that universities, such as Nottingham Trent University, provide to care leavers in admissions, finance and transition, while also securing affordable, suitable and stable accommodation for them and estranged young people? What assessment have His Majesty’s Government made of the additional support that care leavers need to stay in education? Can the Government ensure that this kind of specific support is available more consistently across universities and for apprenticeships too?
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The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on the role of Ofsted’s new education framework in facilitating education on harmful online materials on 4th December 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, given the Church of England’s role in education, I welcome the age limits introduced for harmful material sites. However, it is very hard to police the use of VPNs, and thus education is likely to be needed in a great deal of cases, as well as enforcement. What role will Ofsted’s new framework play in ensuring that statutory relationships, sex and health education is delivered effectively with regard to this matter?
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The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on altering of language used regarding the transition away from fossil fuels during a discussion on COP 30 on 3rd December 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I thank the Minister for his comments. I pay tribute to Secretary of State Miliband for his sheer commitment working towards COP 30—building, let us not forget, on the work that the previous Government achieved, led particularly by the noble Lords, Lord Sharma and Lord Goldsmith. Those were Conservative commitments.
However, I note that in the language around coal and fossil fuels at successive COPs, there has been a great weakening, from the “phasing out” of Glasgow through “phasing down” to “transitioning away” and now to a weak plan and pathway. It was St Basil the Great who spoke about us always having two different paths,
“one broad and easy, the other hard and narrow”,
and that within our minds we are always working out which path to take. Basil said:
“The soul is confused and dithers in its calculations. It prefers pleasure when it is looking at the present; it chooses virtue when its eye is on eternity”.
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about language used in COP environmental pledges”The Bishop of Norwich asked about the need for other educational provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities, during a discussion on SEND budget funding on 3rd December 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, does the Minister agree that, when there is not enough support for SEND pupils in a classroom, it has a major impact on other pupils in the classroom and on teachers themselves, some of whom are leaving the profession because of the stresses they are under? Does the Minister agree that sometimes it is in other educational provision, such as forest school and play, that these children can really thrive?
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