Coventry – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Coventry speaks in debate on preparing for an aging society

The Bishop of Coventry spoke in a debate on an aging society, emphasising the importance of valuing the elderly, on 4th September 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this important issue, and I thank the Economic Affairs Committee for its thorough and timely report. As we consider the prospect of a society where the people of older age vastly outnumber younger people, it is vital that we avoid framing our discussion primarily around the burden of the old to the young. We must continue to emphasise that the value of a person cannot be reduced to their fiscal contribution to the state, although I very much understand the pressures. As the report rightly notes, increased life expectancy is a welcome gift and one of the considerable achievements of modern society. I note that, when I began ordained ministry in 1997, I regularly conducted funerals for people in their 60s and 70s; decades on, they were much more frequently for people in their 80s and 90s.

Bishop of Coventry raises importance of apprenticeships and vocational training in debate on skills

The Bishop of Coventry spoke in a debate on skills, vocational training, and further and higher education on 3rd September 2026, highlighting apprenticeships and vocational pathways as overlooked areas in helping young people into work:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, I welcome the Government’s renewed focus on technical education, youth employment and regional growth. Vocational and technical education can be one of the strongest levers for social mobility, but only where it is genuinely accessible to those who face the greatest barriers. On numerous occasions over the past 30 years of ministry, I have seen young people thrive and flourish into work due to the investment of colleges and businesses working together to enable this to happen.

Although there have been many reasons to be encouraged during my tenure so far in Coventry, it was deeply discouraging to learn of this year’s 9% GCSE attainment gap between London and my region, the West Midlands. If we are serious about opportunity in our nation, we must ensure that high-quality technical pathways are available to all young people wherever they live and not only in areas that already benefit from stronger educational outcomes. I believe that we cannot develop high-level apprenticeships at the expense of levels 2 to 4. These entry-level routes are often the vital first step towards skilled employment and further progression.

Votes: Crime and Policing Bill

On 18th March 2026, the House of Lords debated the Crime and Policing Bill, including amendments on protest, terrorism, and abortion. Bishops took part on votes on several amendments:

Bishop of Coventry makes maiden speech in debate marking the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day

On 26th January 2026, the Bishop of Coventry made her maiden speech in a debate marking Holocaust Memorial Day, remarking on Coventry Cathedral’s role as a centre of peace and reconciliation, and emphasising the importance of combatting antisemitism in all walks of life:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, it is my privilege to make my maiden speech in this debate on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day. First, I express my gratitude for the kindness that I have received from your Lordships on entering this House, and especially for the support, patience and care of the staff across the departments since my appointment to Coventry.

Being of Jewish heritage myself, I cannot recall a time when I was not aware of the Holocaust. I am grateful that this was a part of our family history that was never kept from me but held as a marker of an inhumane world, from which I was charged to do all I could to make the world a better place. Since then, I have served in Yorkshire, Uganda, Surrey, Sussex, Durham and now Coventry. I have a deep love of singing, especially the high notes, and running, unimpressively, and a nice glass of Sauvignon. Coming to Christian faith through youth ministry, I think I am now qualified to say, at the risk of current cliché, that I am and have pretty much always been a faithful.

I will focus my contribution on the importance of educating our children and young people in their religious understanding of the world, as I was, having been among the first cohort of children to journey through the GCSE curriculum, with an outstanding religious studies teacher whose support remarkably continues to this day. He ensured our introduction as teenagers to Judaism, Christianity and Islam without prejudice or favour. From this firm foundation I was privileged to have the opportunity to study Judaism as part of my first degree, with a special interest in the literature generated by the Holocaust.

Introduction: Bishop of Coventry

On 4th September 2025, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Rev’d Sophie Jelley, was introduced to the House of Lords and took her seat on the Bishops Benches as a Lord Spiritual.

Bishop of Coventry asks about future of the Nagorno-Karabakh region

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 17th October 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked His Majesty’s Government what (1) humanitarian assistance, and (2) financial support, they are offering the government of Armenia to meet the needs of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Bishop of Coventry asks about freedom of religion and belief

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 18th September 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in Azerbaijan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): The British Embassy in Baku is able to have open discussions about religious freedom with Government representatives and has been in contact with Grand Mufti, the spiritual leader for both the Sunni and Shia communities in Azerbaijan, who occasionally meets with the Leader of the Armenian Church.

Bishop of Coventry asks about humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 18th September 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the prospect of a negotiated peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan that provides for the wellbeing and protection of the Karabakh Armenian population.

Bishop of Coventry asks about prosecution of Rwandan war criminals in the UK

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answer on 19th July 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking (1) to identify the presence of alleged Rwandan war criminals in the UK, and (2) to prosecute those who participated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con): If a UK resident has been responsible for core international crimes anywhere in the world, they may be investigated and prosecuted in the UK.

Bishop of Coventry asks about treatment of religious minorities and non-governmental organisations in India

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 21st June 2023:

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

what discussions they have had with the government of India on the importance of pluralism and human rights, including freedom of religion; and what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in India.
what discussions they have had with leaders from civil society in India on the status and experiences of religious minorities in that country.

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