Guildford – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Guildford asks about local community politics

The Bishop of Guildford asked a question on local politics during a discussion on police reform on 18th November 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, I welcome this Statement and agree with its direction of travel. Fellow bishops serving in more urban contexts where elected mayors now hold policing functions speak positively about the clarity and democratic accountability that the new approach has engendered. Other communities, such as my own, have had to work extremely hard to interest the electorate in voting for a police and crime commissioner. I think we have done slightly better than average in that regard, but even then the turnout is comparatively low. Will the new policing and crime boards lead to tensions in communities where so-called upper-tier leaders, who are often not used to working together, take very different perspectives on policing priorities? What might be done at this stage to lessen the potential of stalemate in such situations?

Votes: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

On 11th November, 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:

Still-Birth (Definition) Bill: Bishop of Guildford welcomes legislation

On 4th July 2025, the Bishop of Guildford spoke at the second reading of the Still-Birth (Definition) Bill [HL], a private members bill tabled by Baroness Benjamin, supporting the bill and welcoming its principles behind it:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, I will speak in support of the principles of this Bill, and I am very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Benjamin, for having brought it to the House. One of the best traits in human nature is using the difficult experiences that we ourselves encounter to speak up for others facing similar situations. I applaud the noble Baroness for using her experience and her voice in this way, and especially for the achievement of the introduction of certificates of loss last year.

During my time as a vicar in south-west London, another inspiring woman from within my then congregation came to me with the idea of starting a listening service for women who had miscarried or were facing difficult or unintended pregnancies. This was partly born out of her own experience and partly out of the fact that she lived around the corner from a large BPAS abortion clinic, where a constant trickle of women, sometimes accompanied by their partners or their mums and sometimes quite alone, would make their way to the front door, often in considerable distress, with very little time or opportunity to think through what was for some a desperately difficult decision. It was not long before my congregation member had assembled a small group of other people—about six in all—who were enthused by the vision. They undertook substantial training, not least given the extreme sensitivity of what they would be doing and the need to ensure that they were both professional and non-directive in their approach.

Bishop of Guildford asks about engagement with Indian government on treatment of religious minorities

The Bishop of Guildford asked a question on engagement with the government of India on freedom of religion and belief and treatment of religious minorities on 2nd July 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, what assessment have the Government made of Indian laws on freedom of religion or belief, and how to engage with the Indian Government on the misuse of those laws to target religious minorities, especially Christians and Muslims?

Bishop of Guildford asks about preserving value of marriage ceremonies

The Bishop of Guildford asked a question on the potential for humanist weddings to be introduced in England on 30th June 2025, raising the issue of commercial celebrants potentially devaluing the marriage ceremony:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, noble Lords will not be surprised to hear from these Benches that I am thoroughly in favour of marriage. I want to stress the many benefits of getting married in church, but I am also in favour of encouraging more people to marry wherever, provided that the ceremony reflects the seriousness of the commitment being entered into and the love that lies at its core. To that end, does the Minister agree that if adjustments were to be made to our current premises-based system to enable legal humanist marriages, the door should not be opened so wide that it brings in a free market in commercial celebrants that will cheapen and devalue what is such a vital and foundational institution?

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.

Bishop of Guildford tables question on homeschooling regulations

On 19th December 2024, the Bishop of Guildford tabled a question on government efforts to regulate homeschooling following the murder of Sara Sharif:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: To ask His Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the rules on home schooling in the light of the murder of Sara Sharif.

Bishop of Guildford asks about access to tuition for musicians

The Bishop of Guildford asked a question on access to tuition for musicians, especially those on a lower income, during a discussion on music and drama access in schools on 17th December 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, as a young teenager, I was privileged to play in the National Youth Orchestra, a group which drew together musicians from a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, many of whom have gone on to contribute substantially to the creative arts in the country. Given that music is being squeezed out across many parts of the state sector, what steps will the Government take to ensure that able musicians have access to the best possible quality tuition and opportunity, not least with specialist music schools, regardless of their ability to pay for it?

Bishop of Guildford asks about tax relief for choirs

The Bishop of Guildford asked a question on the potential of offering tax relief for choir groups on 15th October 2024, during a discussion on the future of tax relief for the arts:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, the current relief offered to instrumental groups of 12 or more players does not extend to choirs, a situation that is logically indefensible, especially given the growing popularity of choirs across the nation. Can the Minister say whether the Government have formed a view on extending the relief to choirs, as requested by musical organisations all around the country, not least given the recent questions over the future of the BBC Singers?

Bishop of Guildford speaks on freedom of religion and belief and persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan

On 25th April 2024, the Bishop of Guildford spoke in a debate on the use of UK aid to support minorities in Pakistan, touching on the topics of freedom of religion and belief and the persecution of religious minorities:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, I am privileged to be the first of a trio of Bishops speaking in this debate.

For the past eight years or so, the diocese of Guildford has partnered with the diocese of Sialkot in the Majha region of Punjab. Sialkot is probably best known for the production of medical equipment and World Cup footballs. The diocese also includes the Mirpur district, which has strong connections to the British-Pakistani community—not least in Woking, just a few miles from where I live, which boasts the oldest purpose-built mosque in the UK. I was privileged to visit Sialkot and Mirpur in 2019; Mirpur had just suffered two devastating earthquakes. I am a vice-chair of the Pakistani Minorities APPG.

I am hugely grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Alton, for initiating the debate and for his tireless championing of freedom of religion or belief over so many years. I fully support the suggestion that religious minorities should be explicitly included in the list of marginalised communities when it comes to the provision of UK aid.

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