Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about special educational needs and disabilities and school absenteeism

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on the impact of increased numbers of pupils with special educational needs on school absenteeism on 7th May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, as a foster carer for Nottingham city, I am aware that children with higher levels of often complex needs hugely benefit from additional support in smaller integrated learning environments in order to stay motivated and engaged. I press the Minister again very particularly: what assessment have the Government therefore made of how the increase in the number of children with significant special educational needs—who now very often remain in large classes, with the disruption that creates for many pupils—is impacting on pupil absenteeism?

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Slavery

On 7th May 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha de Cordova MP, gave the following written answer to a question from an MP:

Katie Lam MP (Con, Weald of Kent): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to p.10 of the report entitled Church Commissioners’ Research into Historic Links to Transatlantic Chattel Slavery, published on 1 January 2023, for what reason that report was not peer reviewed to an academic standard.

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Bishop of Bristol asks about human trafficking of women and girls

The Bishop of Bristol received the following written answers on 7th May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol asked His Majesty’s Government whether their forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy will consider victims of sexual exploitation in the light of recent data from the International Organization for Migration showing that fewer women and girls are being supported through the National Referral Mechanism.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling in the armed forces

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 7th May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how much money was made from fixed-odds betting terminals located on Ministry of Defence property in (1) 2021, (2) 2022, (3) 2023, and (4) 2024; and who was the beneficiary of any such money.

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Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about access to role models for young men

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on tailoring school PSHE programmes to facilitate opportunities for young men to access positive role models on 6th May 2025 , during a discussion on tackling knife crime:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, given the importance of young men needing positive role models in their lives, and of these being people they actually know and can talk to consistently, have His Majesty’s Government considered—as part of their Young Futures programme—how the PSHE curriculum in schools can be tailored more to facilitating these opportunities, taking note particularly of the excellent work of charities such as Kick, which are providing more and more mentors to primary and secondary schools?

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Church Commissioners Written Questions: Slavery

On 6th May 2025,  the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from an MP:

Church of England: Slavery

Katie Lam MP (Con, Weald of Kent): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, when Project Spire discussions began between the Charity Commission and the Church Commissioners.

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Bishop of St Albans takes part in debate on access to banking for small businesses

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in a grand committee debate on access to banking for small businesses on 1st May 2025, with a particular focus on the needs of rural businesses and communities:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Sharkey, not only for securing this debate but for an interesting and informative introduction setting out a number of important matters. I declare my interests: until two weeks ago, I was president of the Rural Coalition, which is relevant to this speech; I am also a vice-president of the Local Government Association.

I will focus my remarks specifically on the challenges for small businesses in rural areas. They hold significant potential for economic growth and are critical for our economy, but they face distinct challenges around access to banking and financial services compared to urban areas. There are over 500,000 businesses registered in rural areas, and the rural economy employs around 3.8 million people, so it is important that this economy and the small businesses that make up part of it have access to the services that they need to thrive and to contribute to the Government’s growth mission.

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Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Bishop of Derby welcomes legislation

The Bishop of Derby spoke at the second reading of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on 1st May 2025, welcoming the bill and urging that the government listen to the voices and needs of children and young people:

The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I welcome this Bill and the Government’s commitment to improve children’s lives and their outcomes. My faith teaches me that, in this work, we echo Jesus’s commitment to place children at the heart of God’s transforming work—

“of such is the kingdom of God”.

As Nelson Mandela said:

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children”.

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Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Bishop of Manchester highlights impact on care leavers and faith communities

The Bishop of Manchester spoke at the second reading of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on 1st May 2025, highlighting the potential impact of the bill on care leavers and faith communities:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I begin by expressing my thanks to all noble Lords who have reached out to me following the announcement that I will be taking up the role of Convenor of the Lords Spiritual next month. I look forward to working with all noble Lords. I also look forward to hearing today the maiden speeches from the noble Lords, Lord Mohammed of Tinsley and Lord Biggar, the latter a fellow clergyman and a theological mind of some high repute.

Debate during the recent passage of my own Private Member’s Bill through this House highlighted the severe disadvantages faced by many care leavers. Research by Barnardo’s showed that 39% of care leavers aged 19 to 21 are not in education, employment or training, compared with 13% of young people in general. We are failing almost two in five of those who have care experience. Moreover, care leavers I met through the charity Become highlighted how much depends on the whim of their particular local authority. Young people who move away for work or further education are especially prone to losing support. We need a universal offer for young people leaving care that local authorities are obliged to meet.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about impact of inheritance tax on rural businesses

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the impact of inheritance tax on farmers and rural businesses on 1st May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, there is no doubt that there is some sort of mismatch between the assurances being given and the experiences of some of our smaller farmers, who are deeply concerned at what is going on. What consideration have His Majesty’s Government given to having some sort of clawback clause? If assets were disposed of within, say, seven years after a death, that would deal with the problem of the tax loophole whereby some people are using land simply to get out of paying tax.

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