The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of London asks about access to healthy foods for low-income families

The Bishop of London asked a question on access to healthy and nutritious food for low-income families on 18th November 2024, during a discussion on the cost effectiveness of anti-obesity drugs:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy independent review details the factors that impact on our ability to eat healthily. They include having the facilities at home to be able to prepare fresh food and having the time to do so; it is also about where you live. About 3.3 million people cannot reach any food store selling raw ingredients by public transport. When it comes to combating obesity, what steps are the Government taking to assist low-income families, in particular, with accessing healthy and nutritious meals?

Bishop of St Albans asks about harms to mental health and wellbeing resulting from gambling

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 18th November 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the finding in The Lancet Public Health Commission on gambling, published on 24 October, that the harms to health and wellbeing that result from gambling are more substantial than previously understood.

Bishop of Sheffield asks about opportunities for young people in the North of England

The Bishop of Sheffield received the following written answers on 18th November 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield asked His Majesty’s Government how many of the eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas will be located in the north of England.

Baroness Sherlock (Lab, DWP): The Government’s plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people in England aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. More detail on the Youth Guarantee will be set out in the upcoming Get Britain Working White Paper.

Archbishop of Canterbury asks about conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan

The Archbishop of Canterbury received the following written answers on 18th November 2024:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury asked His Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan regarding the release of ethnic Armenians held in detention following Azerbaijan’s military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.

Bishop of St Albans asks about World Food Programme in Somalia

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 18th November 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of any shortfalls in the funding of the World Food Programme in Somalia, and of any impact of such shortfalls on the Programme’s ability to provide assistance to those who need it in that country.

Bishop of St Albans asks about monitoring of illegal sewage discharges

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 18th November 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that the Environment Agency is able to monitor and investigate illegal sewage discharges.

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.

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