On 23rd October 2025, the Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Rev’d Jonathan Frost, was introduced to the House of Lords and took his seat on the Bishops Benches as a Lord Spiritual.
Bishop of Winchester asks about freedom of religion provisions in trade agreements
The Bishop of Winchester received the following written answer on 23rd October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Winchester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure human rights provisions on freedom of religion or belief have been included in the Free Trade Agreement with India.
Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester asks about freedom of religion provisions in trade agreements”Bishop of Leicester asks about support for faith communities addressing safeguarding concerns
The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on government support for faith communities in addressing safeguarding concerns on 22nd October 2025, during a discussion on a Commons Urgent Question on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, the Church of England has in recent years been forced to face up to our own, significant failures in the areas of safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. We were far too slow to realise the devastating impact of safeguarding when it goes wrong, and we are even now struggling to put in place appropriate ways of ensuring accountability and of being led by survivors. Can the Minister therefore tell me what the Government are doing to support all faith communities in addressing safeguarding, to go beyond simply the requirements of the Charity Commission and to show that no group is above the law when it comes to safeguarding?
Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester asks about support for faith communities addressing safeguarding concerns”Bishop of Norwich asks about support for Road Victims Trust
The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on support for Road Victims Trust, a charity supporting families affected by drink-drivers and drug-drivers on 22nd October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, the Road Victims Trust does very important work in supporting those families that are affected by drink-drivers and drug-drivers. It is a charity that relies mostly on public donations. What could the Minister do to encourage police and crime commissioners to support the work of the Road Victims Trust through their grant-making?
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about support for Road Victims Trust”Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill: Bishop of Leicester supports amendments on protections for those in poverty
The Bishop of Leicester spoke in support of an amendment to the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill which would provide protections for those in poverty regarding benefit overpayments on 21st October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, I am pleased to have added my name to this amendment. As this is the first time that I have spoken at this stage, I want to thank the Ministers for their careful consideration of the concerns raised by noble Lords, as well as all those who have engaged with such diligence on this matter. For the record, this is an important Bill. Attempts to commit fraud will not stop as a result of this Bill—that will never be possible—but it will be far harder for those making these attempts, and that is absolutely right, as is the ability to recover overpayments.
The principles behind this amendment are fairness in the face of the various reasons for an overpayment being made, including error by the department, and affordability, ensuring that those already in poverty are not pushed further into it. Let us remember who will bear the brunt of these new powers: people who are reliant on benefits, which independent research suggests are already insufficient to meet people’s basic needs. With the requirement to pay off their debts via universal credit deductions of up to 15% of the standard allowance, there is a real risk that many will, I fear, be pushed even deeper into poverty.
Continue reading “Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill: Bishop of Leicester supports amendments on protections for those in poverty”Votes: Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill
On 21st October 2025, the House of Lords debated the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which bishops took part:
Bishop of Newcastle asks about regional transportation
The Bishop of Newcastle asked a question about investment in regional transport in the UK on 21st October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, in the north-east we rejoice at the success of the reinstated Northumberland line, linking Ashington to Newcastle, which has seen over 700,000 journeys since the line was reopened last December. However, the route struggles with a lack of carriages, and the company would like to put more trains on. Can I ask the Minister whether the strategy will seek to prioritise regions in our country which have traditionally been underinvested in, so as to fast-forward the economic growth the Government so desire?
Continue reading “Bishop of Newcastle asks about regional transportation”Bishop of Leicester asks about universal credit review
The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 21st October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 22 July (HL9231), when their review on Universal Credit will be published.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester asks about universal credit review”Bishop of Oxford asks about ethics in neurotechnology
The Bishop of Oxford received the following written answer on 20th October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Oxford asked His Majesty’s Government whether they will work with international partners to ensure that the proposed Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization upholds (1) international human rights standards, including safeguards for equity, mental integrity and privacy, (2) the precautionary principle, and (3) protections for children and other vulnerable groups.
Continue reading “Bishop of Oxford asks about ethics in neurotechnology”Bishop of Leicester asks about publication of the government’s child poverty strategy
The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 20th October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish the child poverty strategy.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester asks about publication of the government’s child poverty strategy”
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