diplomacy – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Leeds asks about preserving Ukrainian sovereignty

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the need to preserve the integrity of Ukraine’s sovereignty on 26th November 2025, following a government statement on the meeting of the coalition of the willing during the G20 and recent discussions on peace plans:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, one of the principles that we apply in many debates is that we should not talk about people without them being present. Can the Minister confirm that we will continue to resist the carve-up of an independent country by two major powers? That means that we have to put pressure on the United States to see this not just as an object of interest but as something that has to involve the Ukrainians at every step.

Bishop of Manchester asks about behaviour of overseas UK diplomats

The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on payment of fines and charges by UK diplomatic staff serving overseas on 16th July 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, it is tempting to suggest that when the American President arrives, we call them not charges but tariffs, as that seems to be a word he finds much more popular. More seriously, can the Minister assure us that, at the same time as we are trying to crack down on diplomats in this country, British diplomats and their staff overseas are correctly paying all fines, charges and other tariffs that they are supposed to pay?

Bishop of Gloucester asks about issues around the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 18th June 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the guidance to businesses trading in produce originating from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Bishop of St Albans asks about British nationals detained abroad

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 2nd June 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to secure the release of Ahmed al-Doush; and what steps they are taking to request further information from the government of Saudi Arabia regarding his conviction and sentence.

Bishop of St Albans asks about role of the British Council overseas

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 12th April 2025:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 28 March (HL5890 and HL5892), what assessment they have made of the impact of physical presence of the British Council in the countries in which it operates on the outcomes it delivers.

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 Leeds asks about diplomatic efforts to secure a resolution to the conflict in Sudan

The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 15th May 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government what diplomatic action they are taking, along with international partners, to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan; and what consideration they have given to appointing a dedicated envoy for Sudan.

Bishop of Leeds asks about impact of UN Resolution calling for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza on 26th March 2024, querying the potential impact of the resolution and whether it would affect countries such as Russia, China & Iran supplying weapons for the conflict:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, given that UN resolutions are not always seen through, as it were, or observed, is the Minister optimistic that this resolution will have the impact we want it to have? What impact will it have on countries like Russia, China and Iran continuing to supply weapons?

Bishop of St Albans asks about training on freedom of religion and belief for those in the diplomatic service

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 19th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to put in place mandatory training for diplomats on Freedom of Religion and Belief.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): In July 2021, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), Fiona Bruce, MP, and I, launched the FCDO International Academy’s training module “Religion for International Engagement,” delivering recommendation 11 of the Bishop of Truro’s review of FCDO support for persecuted Christians. The training is essential for FCDO diplomats, and highly recommended for all FCDO staff. The training is also available to all civil servants.

Hansard

Bishop of Southwark asks about territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 10th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking (1) to reduce tensions, and (2) to support efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the territorial dispute, between Venezuela and Guyana.

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