Tag: communities

Bishop of London asks about engagement with communities affected by Coronavirus pandemic

The Bishop of London asked a question on engagement with communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic on 13th November 2025, during a discussion on commemoration of the pandemic:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I add my condolences and prayers to those who lost somebody during Covid, particularly those in the Chamber. I also recognise the hard work of the noble Baroness, Lady Morgan, and the commission. What effort is being made on ongoing engagement with communities to rebuild trust in public services, including the health service, which was lost during Covid?

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Church Commissioners Questions: Persecuted Christians, Supporting Freedom of Religion and Belief Abroad, Small Churches in Rural Constituencies, Community Relations, Archbishop of Canterbury

In the House of Commons, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following answers to questions from MPs:

Persecuted Christians

Brian Mathew MP (LD, Melksham and Devizes) asked: 1. What steps the Church of England is taking to help support persecuted Christians in other countries.

Marsha De Cordova MP (Lab, Battersea): The Church of England supports efforts to defend international religious freedoms for Christians or whichever religious group faces persecution. The Church has created parliamentary caucuses involving religious leaders in east and west Africa, and in south-east Asia to support legislation to protect religious freedoms.

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Bishop of Lichfield asks about interfaith work in government following attack on Manchester synagogue

On 15th October 2025, the The Bishop of Lichfield asked a question on interfaith work in government following a statement on the recent attack on a synagogue in Manchester:

The Lord Bishop of Lichfield: My Lords, my prayers are with the victims, their families and all our Jewish communities following this appalling attack. It is shocking that the ancient evil of antisemitism is currently resurgent in our society. We must remain vigilant against it and all forms of religious hatred. No one in this country should ever feel unsafe because of their faith, and particularly not unsafe in their place of worship.

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Church Commissioners Questions: Support for those on Low Incomes, Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, Community Cohesion, Christians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Project Spire, Al-Ahli Hospital, Poverty

On 3rd July 2025, Marsha De Cordova MP, on behalf of the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:

People on Low Incomes in Rural Communities

Chris Vince MP (Lab/Co-op, Harlow) asked: 2. What steps the Church of England is taking to support people on low incomes in rural communities.

Marsha De Cordova MP (Lab, Battersea): Our most recent figures show that the Church of England was involved in more than 31,000 community projects across the country, including in my hon. Friend’s constituency of Harlow. In addition, funding for churches in the lowest income communities is set to increase from £91 million in the past three years to £133.5 million.

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Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports legislation and raises need for equality in housing access

The Bishop of Manchester spoke at the second reading of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on 25th June 2025, welcoming the legislation and the expansion of social housing in the UK, and raising the needs of rural and minority communities in relation to housing and land development:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it is always a great privilege to follow the noble Lord, Lord Best, whose wisdom on housing is quite unparalleled. I draw attention to my own interests in social housing, as set out in the register, and to the fact that a number of provisions in the Bill might impact on the interests of the Church Commissioners for England, who pay my stipend and own the house I live in.

I welcome the Bill. We desperately need a rapid expansion in the building of social homes, ideally at social rents. Enactment of the measures here included can be part of the architecture—please excuse the pun—we need if we are going to underpin the ambition for a mixed economy for housing, one which will live up to the Archbishops’ Commission on Housing’s values of homes that are safe and sustainable.

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Bishop of Lichfield asks about facilitating integration in UK communities

The Bishop of Lichfield asked a question on facilitating community integration on 15 May 2025, following a government statement on the UK immigration system:

The Lord Bishop of Lichfield: My Lords, the White Paper rightly recognises the role that successful integration plays in enabling people to realise their full potential and increasing community cohesion. It particularly highlights the importance of language learning. Yet this, though important, is not the sole factor that influences the extent to which someone is successfully integrated in society. Successful integration is multifaceted. It requires, for example, the provision of adequate housing, employment opportunities, social networks and the ability to navigate services. A more holistic approach to integration is needed—one that extends beyond the development of language skills. What consideration are the Government giving to introducing more expansive measures to facilitate successful integration?

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Bishop of Lichfield asks about reintegration of ex-offenders

The Bishop of Lichfield tabled a question on government support for ex-offenders to support their transition from life in prison and their reintegration into society on 15th May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Lichfield: To ask His Majesty’s Government what support they are providing for ex-offenders to support their transition from life in prison and their reintegration into society.

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Westminster Hall Debate: Impact of Churches and Religious Buildings on Communities

In Westminster Hall, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha De Cordova MP, hosted a joint debate with John Glen MP on the impact of churches and religious buildings in communities on 13th May 2025:

Marsha De Cordova MP (Lab, Battersea): I beg to move,

That this House has considered the impact of churches and religious buildings on communities.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy. I am pleased to have secured this important and timely debate with the right hon. Member for Salisbury (John Glen). Today, I speak with two hats on, as the MP for Battersea and as the Second Church Estates Commissioner.

It is undeniable that churches and religious buildings have a positive impact on our communities in constituencies across the country, and I intend to show examples of this throughout my speech. Churches such as St Mary’s in Battersea do valuable work in their communities every day, and their contributions are often delivered at no cost to the state but with such a great return for the communities in which they serve. That is part of their vocation to serve—their desire to reflect the values of Jesus Christ through their faith, love, hospitality and service to their neighbours. I hope that this debate will allow us to recognise the incredible work of our local churches and other religious organisations.

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Bishop of Leicester asks about access to mental health services for minority-ethnic communities

The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on steps to address inequality in communities on 8th May 2025, particularly for those whose first language is not English, during a discussion on mental health care:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, in my own city of Leicester, some excellent work is being done with minority-ethnic communities in particular to help with access to mental health services. Nevertheless, significant inequalities remain. What more is being done to address those inequalities, particularly as they relate to people whose first language is not English?

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Bishop of Manchester asks about community cohesion following tensions in Kashmir

The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on efforts to de-escalate tensions and reassure communities in the UK on 30th April 2025, following a government statement on a recent terrorist attack and rising tensions in Kashmir:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I have had a number of distressed emails from Hindu leaders in my own diocese, and as faith leaders we are trying to see how we can respond to this incident. Will the Minister say a little more about how he expects civil society organisations and faith communities to play a part in helping to de-escalate tensions in the UK?

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