On 18th March 2025, the Bishop of Gloucester tabled a question on the durability of the ceasefire in Gaza, condemning the recent airstrikes on Gaza and raising the possibility of targeted sanctions against the Israeli government:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the durability of the ceasefire in Gaza.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about durability of ceasefire in Gaza”The Bishop of Gloucester spoke at the second reading of the Palestine (Statehood Recognition) Bill, a private member’s bill tabled by Baroness Northover, on 14th March 2025, supporting the bill and stressing the need for the UK to support an independent Palestine and the principle of equality for all:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I declare an interest in that I am a patron of the charity Embrace the Middle East. I am also a regular visitor to the region and last visited in June, spending time particularly in the West Bank. As Palestinians shared stories from the past and the present. I was really struck by the absence of hope, the absence of a vision for the future and the focus on simply trying to survive the present.
It is poignant that today is the Jewish festival of Purim, wonderfully marking the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation. It is a stark reminder that all people are equal and, I would add, created in the image of God.
We must go on naming the abhorrent attack on Israel by Hamas. We remember all those who grieve and live with trauma, and of course those who continue to be held hostage and must be released. At the same time, we must not become dull to the horrors of the war in Gaza. All people are equal.
Continue reading “Palestine (Statehood Recognition) Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports legislation”The Bishop of Gloucester tabled a question on interventions to prevent reoffending among those convicted of domestic abuse on 24th February 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty’s Government what programmes and interventions are used to reduce re-offending among domestic abusers in the community; and what are the re-offending rates of those who participate.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about prevention of reoffending in domestic abuse cases”
The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 4th February 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government whether they will consider child maintenance as part of their forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about child maintenance”The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 3rd February 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what (1) practical, and (2) mental health, support is offered to parents struggling to pay child maintenance.
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The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the intensification of Israeli military activity in the West Bank on 30th January 2025, following a government statement on the humanitarian situation in Gaza:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I am grateful for this Statement and thank the Minister for her sensitive and careful comments. Would she accept that, although the ceasefire agreement offers a glimmer of hope that a different future is possible, the situation in the West Bank continues to go from bad to worse? What assessment have the Government made of Israel’s intensification of military action in the West Bank? The fear held by many, including those on these Benches who have just returned from that region, is that this is a precursor to full or partial annexation. What is the Government’s strategy for dealing with the deteriorating situation in the West Bank?
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about Israeli military activity in the West Bank”The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the importance of including female Afghan leaders in international talks on the status of women and girls under Taliban rule in Afghanistan on 30th January 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, these measures are taken by men with an absolute lack of transparency and without any involvement of those concerned, and they are clearly aimed at excluding women and girls from public life. Following on from what has been said, are the Government actively meeting female Afghan leaders to hear their perspectives? Will the UK Government help female Afghans to be part of the international talks so that they are able to play a part in the future of the country?
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester calls for inclusion of female Afghan leaders in international talks”The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 27th January 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish the review of calculations of child maintenance.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about child maintenance and domestic violence”The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the health needs of women in prison on 14th January 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, women in prison have very specific health needs. Will the new women’s justice board look at ensuring that health and social care services across the women’s estate are consistently gender-specific and sensitive to women’s protected characteristics?
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about women in prison”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.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about use of electronic tagging”
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