On 5th February 2026, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who had previously sat in the House of Lords as Bishop of London, was reintroduced to the House and took her seat on the Bishops Benches:
Church Commissioners Written Questions: Safeguarding
On 5th February 2026, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:
Cameron Thomas MP (LD, Tewkesbury): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place within the Church of England.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Safeguarding”Votes: Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025
On 4th February 2026, the House of Lords debated the Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025 and an associated fatal motion in the name of Baroness Bennet of Manor Castle. A vote was held on the motion, in which a Bishop took part:
Bishop of Manchester expresses concern at legislative overreach during debate on public order measures
On 4th February 2026, the Bishop of Manchester spoke during a debate on a motion to approve the Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025 (adding the life sciences sector to the list of key national infrastructure), and an associated fatal motion in the name of Baroness Bennet of Manor Castle, expressing his concern at potential legislative overreach:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow my noble and right reverend friend. I will be brief. It has been very clear to me in this debate that we need the life sciences in this country, and we probably conduct them in a better manner than many other parts of the world do, and that is a good reason for maintaining them here.
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester expresses concern at legislative overreach during debate on public order measures”Church Commissioners Questions: Church Disciplinary Proceedings, Anglicanism in British Overseas Territories, Hereford and Lichfield Dioceses,
On 4th February 2026, the Second Church Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:
Church of England: Disciplinary Proceedings
Cameron Thomas MP (LD, Tewkesbury): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioner, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the communication of the outcomes of Clergy Disciplinary Measures of the Church of England within the Church.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Church Disciplinary Proceedings, Anglicanism in British Overseas Territories, Hereford and Lichfield Dioceses,”Bishop of Manchester asks about effective community policing
The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on ensuring effective neighbourhood and community policing during a discussion on the Police Reform White Paper on 3rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I note that when the original Statement was made in the other place, it began and ended with a reference to Sir Robert Peel. In my capacity as the co-chair of the National Police Ethics Committee for England and Wales, I probably talk more about the Peelian principles than I ever thought I was going to do in earlier life. One of those essential principles is that policing is a civilian force: it is people, the citizenry, policing themselves.
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester asks about effective community policing”Votes: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
On 3rd February 2026, the House of Lords debated the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
Bishop of Lincoln asks about tackling child poverty
The Bishop of Lincoln tabled a question on facilitating consultation and collaboration with faith-based and voluntary sector organisations to deliver the Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty strategy on 3rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to facilitate consultation and collaboration with faith-based and voluntary sector organisations to deliver the Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty strategy, published on 5 December 2025.
Continue reading “Bishop of Lincoln asks about tackling child poverty”Bishop of Manchester pays tribute to Lord Wallace of Tankerness
On 3rd February 2026, the Bishop of Manchester joined in tributes paid in the House of Lords to Lord Wallace of Tankerness, who had recently passed away:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, from these Benches, I associate my comments and condolences with those who have previously spoken. Lord Wallace was kind, welcoming and generous to new Bishops joining this House. Both he and his wife Rosie are extraordinary people. He in particular made a significant impact on shaping the very culture and society in Scotland we see today across the whole trinity—if I may use a word dear to him—of law, politics and church. His two main belief systems were indeed the Church and politics. They supported each other, and although, as we have heard, he never served as a minister in the religious sense, he was ordained: he was an elder, and many across Orkney and beyond have reported how pertinent and encouraging his sermons and hominies were.
Continue reading “Bishop of Manchester pays tribute to Lord Wallace of Tankerness”Bishop of Leicester asks about employment and social security
The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answers on 3rd February 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government for how long they will remove the right to claim benefits from 18-to-21-year-olds on Universal Credit who do not accept the offer of a work placement through the Youth Guarantee scheme.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester asks about employment and social security”
The Church of England in Parliament 
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