criminal justice – Page 4 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Gloucester asks about licence conditions for those under Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on communication around termination of licence conditions during a discussion on those under Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences on 24th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, taking into account what has been said already, I welcome the enactment of the provisions in the Victims and Prisoners Act, passed by the last Government, allowing termination of licence conditions for IPP prisoners. However, there are huge legal complexities involved, so I wonder what steps the Government are taking to ensure that those eligible to terminate their licence conditions actually understand their rights and are able to exercise them.

Bishop of London emphasises need for support for victims of crime in debate on Crown Court backlog

The Bishop of London spoke in a debate on Crown Court Criminal Case Backlog on 20th March 2025, raising the need to support victims of crime:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, it is humbling to speak in this debate in the company of those better qualified than me to make comment, but I rise to speak particularly about the impact on victims. From London, I also welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Longfield, to her place.

It continues to be a great shame that criminal justice is one of those Cinderella public services. We often talk or feel that spending money on things such as schools and healthcare is good, and of course it is. However, talking about spending money on prisons, probation and the courts is much less frequently affirmed, despite the fact that not spending in the courts has a terrible implication for victims. I wonder whether improving public understanding of the importance of a well-functioning court system for victims and defendants may be key to winning wider support and gaining resources that are so desperately needed. What consideration have the Government given to improving public understanding in this way?

Bishop of Lichfield asks about probation service and suicide in prisons

The Bishop of Lichfield received the following written answers on 13th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Lichfield asked His Majesty’s Government what the average caseload of probation officers in England and Wales was in each year of the last decade.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about safeguarding victims of child criminal exploitation

The Bishop of Chelmsford asked a question on introducing a legal definition of child criminal exploitation on 24th February 2025, during a discussion on county lines drug trafficking:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill introduces new offences, which appear to have no connection to immigration, of possessing any specified article that might be used in connection with any serious offence. What safeguards does the Minister think need to be in that Bill to prevent the needless criminalisation of children? Does he agree that a legal definition of child criminal exploitation might help in that?

Votes: Data (Use and Access) Bill

On 5th February 2025, the House of Lords debated the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:

Bishop of Norwich asks about police action in cases of institutional abuse

The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on police action in cases of institutional abuse on 8th January 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, recent events have rightly turned the spotlight on the Church of England’s record around safeguarding. Those of us on these Benches are highly committed to listening to survivors and bringing about the further institutional and cultural changes that need to be made, beyond the enormous progress that has been made over the past 10 years. What assurance can the Minister give that the police will act on information that they receive, which, it is alleged, was not the case in 2013, when the horrendous crimes of John Smyth were correctly reported to them?

Bishop of Gloucester asks about use of electronic tagging

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 19th December 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that electronic monitoring tags are available in all sizes and that no one will be required to remain in prison solely because there is no electronic tag that will fit them.

Bishop of Gloucester asks about status of prisoners in the UK and overseas

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 16th December 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish the number of UK citizens in prison abroad as a matter of routine

Autumn Budget: Bishop of Gloucester highlights need for reform in the criminal justice system

The Bishop of Gloucester spoke in a debate on the autumn budget on 11th November 2024, with a focus on reform of the criminal justice system:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I will focus on the Budget in the context of criminal justice, and declare my interest as the Anglican Bishop for HM Prisons in England and Wales.

I was encouraged to hear from the Chancellor that the Government intend to

“begin to repair the justice system”,

and I welcome the extra investment in the Ministry of Justice—although how that will be spent is vital. We need to ensure that the aim is not to finance our way out of a prison capacity crisis. Let us first address the purpose of prison and then put the resources in the right place, with a long-term vision of enabling strong and healthy families and communities. As a Christian, I hold fast to hope and transformation. Reoffending continues a pattern of broken relationships and is costly, not only to the fabric of society but in financial terms: it costs approximately £18 billion per year. Let us not increase funds simply to do more of the same, because all the evidence is that it is not working.

Bishop of Sheffield highlights importance of prison staff and chaplains during debate on UK prison capacity

The Bishop of Sheffield spoke in a debate on prison capacity on 12th September 2024, highlighting the important role made by prison chaplains and the need for prison staff to be properly resourced and supported:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Burt, for enabling this debate and for the opportunity to speak in it. My right reverend friend the Bishop of Gloucester, lead Bishop for prisons, is unable to be here today. I know she wishes that she had been able to contribute. I share her interest in the welfare of prisoners and of those called to work in prisons, not least in the four prisons in my diocese in and around Doncaster.

Ministers have made plain their deep concern at the capacity problem in our prisons and have set out their plans to address it in both the short and longer term. I urge the Government to think deeply about the factors that have led us to this crisis and to respond creatively and boldly when considering the purpose of prison and the alternatives to custody. At their best, prisons are places of transformation. Every person supported to turn away from offending makes our country safer for everyone. But truly effective rehabilitation almost always takes place in a context of care and trust. It surely goes without saying that overcrowding in prisons is not conducive to a transformative culture.

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