Speeches – Page 20 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Norwich highlights importance of rule of law for faith and society

The Bishop of Norwich spoke in a debate on the importance of the rule of law on 26th November 2024, highlighting the intersection of the rule of law with faith communities and the need to uphold human rights legislation, particularly with regards to immigration and asylum:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Smith, for bringing this debate forward and congratulate her on her outstanding maiden speech. I also congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Laing of Elderslie, on hers.

While I feel an utter novice in this area, especially following such informed speeches, I am acutely aware that your Lordships have a role in reviewing decisions of the General Synod of the Church of England and passing—or not—our Measures into law. As such, our ecclesiastical laws are also laws of the land. The Church of England values its participation in this process, and, by virtue of that, engaging with any debate on the rule of law that strengthens the ordering of a safe, healthy and flourishing society.

Mental Health Bill: Bishop of London raises issues of trust and accessibility for faith communities

The Bishop of London spoke at the second reading of the Mental Health Bill on 25th November 2024, raising the issues of trust and accessible care across different communities and faith traditions, and the need for investment in the mental health workforce:

My Lords, I am grateful to be able to participate in Second Reading of this important Bill. It is a privilege to follow the noble Baronesses, Lady Barker and Lady Watkins, who have a real breadth of experience in this field. I too welcome, along with many noble Lords, the reform of the Mental Health Act, which is long overdue.

The noble Earl, Lord Howe, highlighted the over-representation of minoritised communities detained under the Act but also placed on community treatment orders. Some groups are also more likely to be detained through contact with the criminal justice system or emergency departments. It is important to remember that we are speaking about these inequalities in the wider context of health inequalities; some groups present to health services far later, when their symptoms have worsened. The Royal College of Nursing notes in its briefing that mental health services are

“not seen as accessible to all communities”,

and that:

“Many black men have a first interaction with a service via the police during a crisis”.

Bishop of St Albans speaks in support of farming families and communities

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate on the continuity of farming families on 21st November 2024, highlighting the levels of stress among farmers and the need to reconcile raising revenue with supporting farming communities:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, on securing this debate. I declare my interests as president of the Rural Coalition and a vice-president of the LGA. I am a farmer’s son, and one of the great privileges of my job serving in a diocese that covers Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire is going into some of the most wonderful, forward-looking and innovative farms in this country, which are at the forefront of farming across Europe.

Even though there are many successful, go-ahead farmers, there is nevertheless a huge level of mental stress among them. That has been true for many years. Sadly, there is an extraordinarily high number of suicides among the farming community. As one elderly farmer put it, “Many of us are feeling so depressed because these announcements suggest that we are not wanted and are worth more dead than alive”. He pointed out that if he manages to die before April 2026, his assets will be passed on; if he does not, the farm will probably not survive.

Bishop of Chichester stresses importance of reconstruction in Ukraine

On 21st November 2024, the Bishop of Chichester spoke in a debate on a report from the European Affairs Committee – The Ukraine Effect: The impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the UK-EU relationship, focusing on the importance of reconstruction and the place of the church in Ukraine:

The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, it is a privilege not only to speak in this debate, which touches on a matter of such great importance, but to be reminded, in the valedictory speech of the noble Lord, Lord Levene, of what a resource of wise experience and courtesy exists in this House.

I am very grateful for the work of the European Affairs Committee in its report, and to the noble Lord, Lord Ricketts, for this debate. I am glad to follow the noble Lord, Lord Banner, and the positive statements he made about reconstruction. It is on that subject that I will focus my contribution. Reconstruction must look at economy, buildings, infrastructure and the fabric of society, but I hope it will also look at something distinctive about Ukraine, which is the place of the church. In talking about people and not parliamentarians, the noble Baroness, Lady Hayter, already reminded us of that. The noble Baroness, Lady Nicholson, made similar comments about the neighbours of Ukraine who have given assistance. In large part, monasteries and nunneries will also be an extension of the familiarity of a Christian tradition that is so important in Ukraine.

Home Education Registration and Support Bill: Bishop of Hereford raises rural schooling and SEND

The Bishop of Hereford spoke in the second reading debate on the Home Education Registration and Support Bill on 15th November 2024, raising the issue of rural schooling and the need to support vulnerable children such as those with SEND:

The Lord Bishop of Hereford: My Lords, like the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, I have not done home education myself. My only experience was standing over my own sons for long hours encouraging a more focused approach to their GCSE revision. This only affirmed my admiration for those who actively choose to home educate their children.

I commend the noble Lord, Lord Storey, for placing the welfare of children at the heart of the Bill. There is some resistance to the idea of compulsory registration in the home-education community, as set out in new Section 436B. There is also disquiet about the content of the proposed register, as set out in new Sections 436C and 436D, which is seen as an example of state overreach. While I support the overall thrust of the noble Lord’s Bill, I hope that further work will be done to clarify the limits of the information recorded and the provision of safeguards to protect parental rights. The proposals for registration and support in the Bill should allow a better collaborative approach between home educators and education professionals.

Imprisonment for Public Protection (Re-sentencing) Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports legislation

On 15th November 2024, the Bishop of Gloucester spoke in support of the Imprisonment for Public Protection (Re-sentencing) Bill, a private members bill seeking to allow for resentencing of people currently serving IPP sentences, those recalled to prison, and those under IPP sentences on conditional release:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I add my voice in favour of the Bill, and say amen to all that I have heard. I declare an interest as the Anglican bishop for prisons in England and Wales. I an not going to repeat all that has been said regarding the shocking statistics that have already been outlined.

Like other noble Lords, I am glad that such sentences can no longer be given and that there have been some changes in the rules around the termination of licences, but those rules are complicated and not easy to navigate. That is particularly significant when it comes to offering hope and support not only to those serving their sentences but to families and friends as well.

Bishop of Sheffield highlights importance of higher and further education

The Bishop of Sheffield spoke in a debate on recommendations from a report from Universities UK on 14th November 2024, stressing the importance of access to education in combatting inequality and kick-starting economic growth:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Warwick, for securing this debate of a vital report. It is a privilege to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson—as it happens, for the second time this week. I celebrate the contribution of all the commissioners and advisory group members to the report, and I welcome its recommendations for a bold new strategic vision for the sector.

I am tremendously proud of all the phenomenal HE providers in my diocese: Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield, the Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and the colleges of Sheffield, Barnsley, the Dearne Valley, Doncaster and Rotherham. For the next few minutes, I just want to comment briefly on maintenance grants and financial support, and on the challenges facing FE colleges in particular.

Bishop of Gloucester speaks in debate on new recommendations for universities

The Bishop of Gloucester spoke in a debate on the findings and recommendations of a new report from Universities UK on 14th November 2024, emphasising the role universities play in local communities and the need to ensure fair access for all to higher education:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate. I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Warwick, for tabling it. My reflections are rooted in conversations and experience in the sector within the diocese of Gloucester. I declare my interest as a pro-chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire, of which the noble Lord, Lord Bichard, is chancellor. It is one of 14 universities in the Cathedrals Group of universities, based on a Church of England foundation and ethos and with an explicit dedication to enhancing and expanding a greater plurality of routes into higher education.

Bishop of St Albans raises impact of budget on listed places of worship and cathedral choir schools

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a debate on the impact of the recent Budget on arts, culture, and heritage on 14th November 2024, raising the issue of the Listed Places of Worship Grants scheme and the impact of increased VAT on choir schools:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Sater, for securing this debate.

A number of elements of the recent Budget are to be welcomed, such as the continuation of Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief and the cultural infrastructure funding. However, many of us were disappointed that there was no update on the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme, which is such a lifeline for so many of our historic buildings. The Church of England and other churches are trustees of some of the most important buildings in this country. We have to raise, voluntarily, tens of millions of pounds, and we really need to find ways to help very many pressurised local communities. These buildings are not used just for worship; many of them are the local concert venue. They have all sorts of music-making going on and they are places where music lessons are given. Many of our schools come into the churches, and they are used for all sorts of reasons beyond Sunday and midweek worship. I hope that DCMS will make a decision on this in the coming weeks, and I urge the Minister to ensure its future.

Bishop of Norwich speaks in debate on cost of renewable energy

The Bishop of Norwich spoke in a debate on the costs of renewable energy on 14th November 2024, highlighting the threat to the environment posed by global warming and the global responsibilities associated with transitioning to renewables:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Frost, for securing this debate at the time of COP 29. It is a pleasure as always to follow on from the wise words of the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman. I speak as the lead Bishop for the environment and as a member of Peers for the Planet.

I would like to ensure that there is reflection in this debate on the cost of not embracing renewable energy, especially as a global neighbour. Under even the most optimistic scenarios, the planet will experience warming above 1.5 degrees. The predictions for people and planet are stark. Ours is the generation that simply must move off our reliance on fossil fuels and embrace a new, cleaner, more resilient energy future.

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