The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 27th January 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government how they will ensure the jobs created for the Youth Guarantee scheme for 18-to-21-year-olds on Universal Credit are genuinely new roles which would not otherwise have been advertised.
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The Bishop of Chester asked a question on government efforts to promote graduate internships during a discussion on a current decline in graduate jobs on 6th January 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, I am grateful for the replies that the Minister has already given and for the work the Government are doing in this area. To pick up on the question of apprenticeships, what are the Government doing to promote graduate internships? In an economy like that of the north-west, which depends on small and medium-sized enterprises, those are a vital way into work. Specifically around healthcare, the noble Baroness will be aware of the Jisc report from November 2025, which says that six out of 10 first- degree employment is in the area of health, social care or education, so how can the limited hiring, particularly of nurses, be addressed?
Continue reading “Bishop of Chester asks about promoting graduate internships”On 10th December 2025, the House of Lords debated Commons Reasons and Amendments to the Employment Rights Bill. Votes were held on further amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
On 17th November, the House of Lords debated Commons Reasons and Amendments to the Employment Rights Bill. Votes were held on further amendments to the Bill, in which a Bishop took part:
On 5th November 2025, the House of Lords debated the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part.
The Bishop of Leicester tabled a question on staffing levels within Jobcentres on 23rd October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the staffing levels within Job Centres.
Baroness Sherlock (Lab, DWP): My Lords, DWP monitors demand for jobcentre support on an ongoing basis and has well-established workforce planning systems to make sure that we have the right people in the right place at the right time. These systems help us to prioritise jobcentre activities where needed, protecting our most effective interventions and making sure that we maintain a constant focus on getting people into work, while remaining within funding limits and providing value for money.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester asks about staffing levels in Jobcentres”On 23rd July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Employment Rights Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
On 16th July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Employment Rights Bill. Votes were held on an amendment to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
On 14th July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Employment Rights Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:
On 27th March 2025, the Bishop of Newcastle spoke at the second reading of the Employment Rights Bill, welcoming the bill and emphasising the need to enable workers to flourish in order to grow the economy:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I am glad to speak in this Second Reading. I look forward to the maiden speeches and welcome new Members to your Lordships’ House.
Some years ago, I undertook research on the apostle Paul and work. Paul was never one to shy away from hard work and spoke of the personal cost of his tent making business, describing it as wearisome and fraught with the challenges of local politics. Two thousand years later, we continue to live amid diverse uncertainties.
The desire to make work pay and improve workers’ rights, as proposed by this Bill, must pay attention to the obvious: people who work are human beings. A strong economy needs resilient workers. As we scrutinise this legislation, we do so affirming that workers matter. If we get this right, we can move closer to a society in which people are viewed with inherent value and dignity. When people are valued and supported in what they do, they contribute to greater economic flourishing.
Continue reading “Employment Rights Bill: Bishop of Newcastle welcomes improvements to workers’ rights”
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