Bishop of Newcastle asks about methods of crime prevention for young people

The Bishop of Newcastle asked a question on development of Young Futures Hubs on 24th July 2025, during a discussion on their potential to improve crime prevention and the need to ensure equality of access to the service:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, it is important that the Young Futures hubs are developed in such a way that they respond to the distinct challenges in different local contexts. How do the Government intend to work with and consult young people from different regions of the UK to help shape and develop these important services?

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Votes: Employment Rights Bill

On 23rd July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Employment Rights Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:

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Votes: Universal Credit Bill

On 22nd July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Universal Credit Bill. A vote was held on a regret motion associated with the Bill, in which a Bishop took part.

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Universal Credit Bill: Bishop of Newcastle raises impact of bill on disadvantaged communities

The Bishop of Newcastle spoke at the second reading of the Universal Credit Bill on 22nd July 2025, expressing concern regarding the potential impact of the bill on those with disabilities and the need to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and ill health:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I begin by offering my congratulations to the noble Baroness, Lady Shawcross-Wolfson; I look forward to her maiden speech, and acknowledge the valedictory speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Bryan. I also thank Ministers for listening to concerns about the Bill when it was initially brought forward.

A functional social security system tackles poverty and supports people to live full lives. With that, the system needs to retain public confidence, expressing the best of our values. It must also strike a balance between supporting people who are able to work and ensuring that people who cannot work are protected and cherished for who they are. We need economic growth—that is not disputed; this is, after all, a money Bill—but I am concerned for those who are left behind or who do not fit the model of financial productivity at the rate that seems to be desired.

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Votes: Enterprise Act 2002 (Mergers Involving Newspaper Enterprises and Foreign Powers) Regulations 2025

On 22nd July 2025, a vote took place in the House of Lords on amendments to the Enterprise Act 2002:

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Bishop of Newcastle asks about environmental impact of AI data centres

The Bishop of Newcastle asked a question on the environmental impact of AI data centres during a discussion on artificial intelligence legislation on 21st July 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I am very pleased that Blyth in north-east England has been chosen as the site of a new AI data centre. This represents good investment in training and skills and in transport infrastructure. However, data centres have a lot of impact on the environment and local communities, particularly in terms of water shortages. What ongoing assessment has been done of the impact, particularly on water shortages in local communities?

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Bishop of Oxford asks about changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Fund

The Bishop of Oxford received the following written answer on 21st July 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford asked His Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of the cost implications of children who (1) remain longer in care, and (2) are returned to care, as a result of the changes made to the adoption and special guardianship support fund.

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Bishop of Bristol calls for peacebuilding initiatives alongside Strategic Defense Review

The Bishop of Bristol made her final speech in the House of Lords during a debate on the Strategic Defence Review on 18th July 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, for bringing the SDR to debate to this House, and I look forward to continuing to hear this House’s wide-ranging expertise. I also look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord McCabe.

George Bell, formerly the Bishop of Chichester, thought deeply about the ethics of international relations and spoke, on occasions controversially, in this House about his conclusions. Speaking more generally of the Church in wartime—and I too believe that we are in a time of considerable risk of war—he asserted that the task of the Church, in its service and witness, was to be the Church, and often, that would be in practical endeavour within a whole-society response.

Last weekend the General Synod of the Church of England in York responded to the current international threat level very practically by providing new legislative arrangements to hold the records of military chaplains centrally, not locally. That will allow chaplains, regular or reservists, to be licensed to move much more rapidly into operation. I commend this new legislation to members of the Ecclesiastical Committee and to the whole House, as the Church seeks to support the aim of increasing agility in deployment.

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Bishop of Leeds asks about freedom of religion in Estonia

The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 18th July 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government:

  • what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in Estonia.
  • what assessment they have made of whether the proposed the Act on Amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act adopted by the Estonian Parliament on 18 June contravenes international standards and norms on the right to freedom of religion of belief, and whether they have made representations to the government of Estonia.
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Bishop of Southwark asks about threats against Christians in Syria

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 18th July 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government, in the light of the suicide bombing at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias on 22 June, what support they have given to the new government of Syria to help to protect the Christian population against attack.

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