Tag: freedom of religion

Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about funding of the BBC World Service

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on ensuring sufficient funding for the BBC world service on 2nd June 2025, highlighting its role in communicating issues of faith and freedom of religion:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, the World Service has been particularly effective at communicating issues of faith and freedom of religion. In light of the increasing need for and importance of this, will His Majesty’s Government ensure as a priority that there is sufficient funding for the World Service, and that this is both retained and enhanced?

Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about funding of the BBC World Service”

Bishop of Leeds, Bishop of St Albans, and Bishop of Winchester ask about conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Bishop of Leeds, the Bishop of St Albans, and the Bishop of Winchester received the following written answers on 12th April 2025:

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

  • what military support they are providing to the government of Rwanda for (1) training, (2) technology, (3) tactics, and (4) weapons licensing, and whether they have reviewed these arrangements following the support by the government of Rwanda for M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • what financial support, debt relief and development assistance they are providing to Rwanda, and what steps they will take to review these arrangements as a result of the support by the government of Rwanda for M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds, Bishop of St Albans, and Bishop of Winchester ask about conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo”

Bishop of Leeds asks about attacks on religious communities and places of worship in Ukraine by Russian forces

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

The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of reported attacks on religious communities and places of worship in Ukraine by Russian forces on freedom of religion or belief in that country.

Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about attacks on religious communities and places of worship in Ukraine by Russian forces”

Bishop of Leeds asks about freedom of religion and belief in Iraq

The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 20th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in Iraq; and what steps they are taking to support freedom of religion or belief in Iraq.

Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds asks about freedom of religion and belief in Iraq”

Education (Assemblies) Bill: Bishop of Chelmsford raises concerns on efficacy

The Bishop of Chelmsford spoke at the second reading of the Education (Assemblies) Bill on 7th February 2025, affirming the benefits of collective worship while expressing reservations on the efficacy of the bill:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, I warmly welcome this debate. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Burt, for her introduction, as well as the other noble Lords who have spoken. I look forward to the Minister’s response.

Although I understand the intention of the Bill, it may not surprise your Lordships to hear that I will express some reservations about the proposals and say that I believe the current legislation already affords sufficient flexibility. I suspect that I may well be a lone voice in the Chamber today. I was interested to hear the noble Baroness quote my esteemed friend, the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries, formerly the Bishop of Oxford. Perhaps it is good to know that there are differences of opinion among Bishops in this House.

Collective worship is a vital part of school life. It is key to fostering a sense of fellowship and cohesion; to celebrating festivals, and not just Christian ones; and to strengthening religious literacy. Importantly, the current legislation already allows schools to tailor their provision to suit their pupils’ spiritual needs, and allows schools and academies to develop their ethos and values.

Continue reading “Education (Assemblies) Bill: Bishop of Chelmsford raises concerns on efficacy”

Bishop of Guildford highlights issues of modern slavery and repression in China

On 19th December 2024, the Bishop of Guildford spoke in a debate on human rights in China, highlighting the situation of the Uighur Muslims and urging the government to introduce safeguards to combat modern slavery in the supply chain:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, as the grandson of former medical missionaries in south-west China, I take great interest in this debate. As others have expressed, I am really grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Alton, for his remarkable and indefatigable commitment to human rights and freedom of religion or belief all around the world. I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad—it is a privilege to speak after him—for his huge commitment in this area over many years.

I share with my forebears a deep respect for the Chinese people, their culture, their discipline and their character, but I have been horrified by stories of the oppression and maltreatment of religious minorities and critics of the regime over very many years. I have paid several illuminating visits to China to witness that for myself. This afternoon, like others, I wish to highlight the desperate situation of Uighur Muslims in the north-western region of Xinjiang, whom the other place has declared as being subject to genocide. Specifically, I urge His Majesty’s Government to ensure that the screening of goods made in forced labour camps—everything from solar panels to tomatoes—prevents them being imported into this country.

Continue reading “Bishop of Guildford highlights issues of modern slavery and repression in China”

Bishop of Winchester speaks in debate on human rights in China

The Bishop of Winchester spoke in a debate on human rights in China on 19th December 2024, empathising the importance of a religiously and culturally informed approach towards China:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: I am very grateful to my friend, the noble Lord, Lord Alton of Liverpool, for securing this vital and urgent debate. I congratulate him on his election as chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. There is no one better qualified to fulfil that role.

If we are to understand China from the perspective of human rights, security or trade, or indeed from any other perspective, we must see the country in its own terms and as it sees itself rather than simply through western lenses. To understand China as she understands herself, it will not do to look at her in terms of Marxism or indeed Maoism. If once it was said of the Labour Party that it was more Methodist than Marxist, it can be fairly said of the Chinese Communist Party that it is at least as Confucianist as it is communist. At the heart of China’s concept of itself lies the concept of tianxia, a word that means “all under heaven”—and that I almost certainly mispronounce. Even in those three words, you can grasp a sense of its import. It is an ancient concept, dating at least to the start of the first millennium BC, describing a system of relations across Asia, with China as the centre of the civilised world and the apex of culture, the heart of a sage empire, spreading material benefits and wisdom to all mankind—a geopolitical system with China at the centre and the Emperor at the centre of the centre.

Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester speaks in debate on human rights in China”

Bishop of Winchester asks abut freedom of religion in Syria

The Bishop of Winchester asked a question on Freedom of Religion and Belief in Syria on 19th December 2024, following a government statement on the recent regime change in the country:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: I am very grateful to the Minister for repeating the Statement. I particularly welcome what he said about the appointment of a Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and what he said about north-east Syria. Forgive me for returning to that subject, given the reassurances he has given, but the semi-autonomous region of north-east Syria is an oasis of plurality in the region, where freedom of religion or belief is respected and women take a leading role in governance. It provides an exemplar for the whole region, yet it is under significant pressure from repressive forces supported by our NATO ally, Turkey. I believe that this is an asymmetric aggression, so can the Minister please assure the House that the UK will continue, along with other NATO allies, to bring pressure to bear on Turkey to desist from its destabilising activities in the region?

Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester asks abut freedom of religion in Syria”

Bishop of Winchester asks about the prioritisation of freedom of religion or belief in Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

On 5th November 2024, the Bishop of Winchester received the following written answer:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on 18 October (HC8437), how many FCDO staff are dedicated to freedom of religion or belief and at what level of seniority.

Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester asks about the prioritisation of freedom of religion or belief in Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office”

Bishop of Newcastle speaks in debate on treatment of religious minorities

The Bishop of Newcastle spoke in a debate on treatment of religious minorities in South Asia on 28th October 2024, highlighting the treatment of these minorities in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and the global responsibility to safeguard freedom of religion and belief:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, for securing this important debate. I also commend the work of my right reverend friend the Bishop of Winchester, who works tirelessly on the issue of freedom of religion or belief. He expresses his regret that he could not be here to contribute to today’s debate. It is an honour to follow the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries, who ordained me as a deacon in Oxford nearly 20 years ago.

As outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, freedom of religion or belief is a foundational right. A denial of FORB is often a warning sign for challenges and human rights troubles to come. The UK must therefore continue to reaffirm its commitment to FORB, particularly concerning regions where increasing threats to this foundational right are present. South Asia is home to a rich mosaic of religions. However, the religious diversity in this region is being undermined, and I draw your Lordships’ attention to just two countries by way of illustration.

Continue reading “Bishop of Newcastle speaks in debate on treatment of religious minorities”