criminal justice – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Gloucester speaks in debate on prison conditions

The Bishop of Gloucester took part in a debate on the Better Prisons: Less Crime Justice and Home Affairs Committee Report on 12th February 2026, advocating for reform of the conditions and culture inside prisons:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, as Anglican Bishop for prisons, I wholeheartedly welcome this debate and this excellent report. It is also a privilege to follow two excellent maiden speeches.

I submitted evidence to the committee, and I will continue to bang the drum for reform. Better prisons will play a vital role, but they are not the end point or the complete answer to reducing reoffending. I agree with the reframing of this from rehabilitation, as rehabilitation implies that people were once at an acceptable place in life to which they can be rehabilitated, whereas for the majority of people in prison, this was never true in the first place.

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.

Crime and Policing Bill: Bishop of Lincoln speaks to amendments on decriminalisation of abortion

On 2nd February 2026, the Bishop of Lincoln spoke in a debate on amendments relating to the decriminalisation of abortion in the Crime and Policing Bill, highlighting the importance of supporting women and the need for a change in the way police investigations of terminations of pregnancies are carried out, while reiterating opposition to full decriminalisation on the grounds of the sanctity of life:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I am one of those old men. I am also a single man, so I have no children of my own, but I am regularly in contact with very young families through baptism. Only last Thursday, I was in hospital in an acute cardiac unit for babies, anointing a two week-old baby who had just had open-heart surgery. So I know quite a lot about babies through a very long ministry. I also offer my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Winston, for a television series that he oversaw about seeing a pregnancy from conception to delivery some years ago. That series reinforced my conviction about the sanctity of life.

Bishop of Derby asks about development of guidance on child safeguarding

The Bishop of Derby received the following written answer on 27th January 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Derby asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 23 December 2025 (HL12716), what is the timeline and development plan for non-statutory guidance to be issued to all relevant frontline practitioners safeguarding children from criminal exploitation to ensure a range of stakeholders can contribute; and what steps they will take to mitigate limitations to non-statutory guidance, including inconsistencies across documents and delays in updating guidance that is not statutory.

Bishop of Gloucester asks about prisoner demographics and data

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 26th January 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government how many people of each ethnic group were in prison as of 30 September 2025 by religion.

Bishop of Manchester asks about age of criminal responsibility in Sweden

On 21st January 2026, the Bishop of Manchester asked a clarifying question on changes to the age of criminal responsibility in Sweden during a discussion on the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, the Minister referred a few moments ago to Sweden lowering its age below 15. I have done a quick google check, and as far as I can understand, it has lowered it to 14, which is rather different from 10. Can she confirm that that is correct?

Baroness Levitt (Lab, MoJ): I thank the right reverend Prelate. I think it is from 15 to 13.

Hansard

Bishop of Gloucester asks about prisons and prisoners

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 19th January 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government how many and what proportion of (1) men, and (2) women, arriving in custody have self-declared as part of the basic custody screening interview that they have been in the care of local authority children’s services, in each year since 2016.

Votes: Sentencing Bill

On 6th January 2026, the House of Lords debated the Sentencing Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the Bill, in which Bishops took part:

Division 2:

The Bishop of Chester and the Bishop of Gloucester took part in a vote on an amendment tabled by Lord Keen of Elie:

Lord Keen of Elie moved amendment 25, in clause 1, page 3, line 10, at end to insert—
“(i) the offender has been convicted of a sexual offence, within the meaning of section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, or
(j) the offender has been convicted of an offence which constitutes domestic abuse within the meaning of section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.”

The amendment was disagreed. Content: 180 / Not Content: 219

The Bishop of Chester and the Bishop of Gloucester voted Not Content.

Hansard

Sentencing Bill: Bishop of Gloucester tables amendment defining the purpose of imprisonment

During a debate on the Sentencing Bill on 6th January 2025, the Bishop of Gloucester tabled her amendment to the bill, inserting a new clause which “would define the purposes of imprisonment in law and require the courts and the Secretary of State to have regard to the purposes of imprisonment:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: After Clause 4, insert the following new Clause—

“Purposes of imprisonment(1) Where a court is imposing sentence the court must have regard to the purposes of imprisonment.(2) The Secretary of State must have regard to the purposes of imprisonment when exercising the Secretary of State’s duties under this Act.

(3) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2) the purposes of imprisonment are—(a) the incapacitation of prisoners in order to restrict their ability to re-offend in the community,(b) the rehabilitation of prisoners under safe and decent conditions to reduce re-offending,(c) the deterrence of prisoners and others from committing further offences, and(d) the just punishment of prisoners, including provision to achieve justice for the victims of crime.”Member’s explanatory statement

This new clause would define the purposes of imprisonment in law and require the courts and the Secretary of State to have regard to the purposes of imprisonment.

My Lords, I am bringing back this amendment on Report as I do not think it was adequately addressed in Committee. Amendment 52, in my name and that of the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, would define in law the purposes of imprisonment and require the courts and the Secretary of State to have regard to the purposes of imprisonment.

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