leeds – Page 2 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Leeds asks about recognising roots of global conflicts

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on tackling the root causes of conflicts in Africa and the Middle East on 1st September 2025, following a government statement on the situation in Gaza:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I totally endorse what has been said about Sudan. I was there a year ago and am in almost weekly contact with people there at the moment. But I am slightly worried about the terms in which we debate some of these matters, such as Gaza and Ukraine. The crisis in Ukraine did not begin on 24 February 2023; the crisis in Gaza and the Middle East did not begin on 7 October 2023. Our attempts to simplify the conflict, perhaps for conceptual reasons, do not always help us. It is immensely complex, it goes back a long way and 7 October cannot be the justification for everything that follows. Does the Minister agree?

Bishop of Leeds asks about freedom of religion in Estonia

The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 18th July 2025:

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

what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in Estonia.
what assessment they have made of whether the proposed the Act on Amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act adopted by the Estonian Parliament on 18 June contravenes international standards and norms on the right to freedom of religion of belief, and whether they have made representations to the government of Estonia.

Bishop of Leeds asks about addressing future risks presented by Israel-Iran conflict

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on addressing the risk of future terrorism as a result of the trauma of the current conflict in the Middle-East on 24th June 2025, following a government statement on the Israel-Iran conflict:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I am grateful for the Statement and the commitments the Government are making, but history teaches us that you cannot bomb an idea or a resentment out of existence. Going back to the comments made by the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, about the difference between strategy and tactics, what scenario planning are the Government doing to address the next three or four generations of terrorists who are being born amid the traumas of the current violence?

Bishop of Leeds asks about role of the US in the future of Ukraine

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the role of the United States in the future of Ukraine on 28th April 2025, following a government statement on the progress of peace talks in London:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, that position is very honourable, but the Minister said a moment ago that Russia should not determine the future of Ukraine. Should the United States?

Bishop of Leeds asks about conflict in Sudan

The Bishop of Leeds asked a question on the government’s approach to the economic benefits to the warring parties in the conflict in Sudan on 28th April 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, there was much mention at the conference, given the statements that came out of it, of a rejection of external interference, but there were people there who are externally interfering, such as the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. Although the focus on humanitarian access is absolutely right, there is also the problem of gold, and that the conflict is being fuelled by the economic element of ownership and extraction of gold. Do the Government have any plans to approach the economic benefits to the warring parties as a way of stopping the conflict?

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.

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.

Bishop of Leeds asks about British child in Ukraine

The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answer on 24th March 2025:

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

what discussions they have had with the government of Ukraine regarding the wellbeing of Solomiya Spence who was taken to that country by her mother in July 2024.
what support they are providing to Ian Spence regarding his daughter Solomiya who was taken to Ukraine by her mother in July 2024.

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.

Bishop of Leeds asks about threat of Daesh in Iraq

The Bishop of Leeds received the following written answers on 17th March 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support people in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq who are internally displaced because of the threat posed by Daesh.

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