The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 2nd June 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish the chalk stream recovery pack.
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about chalk stream recovery”The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 13th May 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of damage caused by the conflict in Gaza to (1) the Gaza War Cemetery and, (2) the Deir El Balah War Cemetery.
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about war graves in Gaza”
On 30th April 2025, the House of Lords debated the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill in report. The Bishop of Norwich spoke in support of amendments to the bill tabled by Baroness Goldie to establish whistleblowing functions within the functions of the Commissioner:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I support Amendments 3 and 5 in the names of the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, and the noble Earl, Lord Minto. I am also very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, for the way in which he has engaged with us on the Bill and, in particular listened well in the scrutiny stages.
Continue reading “Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Bishop of Norwich supports amendments on whistleblowing”
On 19th March 2025, the Bishop of Norwich spoke in favour of amendments to the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill regarding support for families of service members:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, it is a privilege to follow the noble Lord, Lord Shinkwin, and the reflections that he has offered the Committee. I rise to support Amendments 8 and 9. I am grateful to the noble Earl, Lord Minto, and the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, for outlining their thinking around this issue because it goes to the heart of how we as a nation care for and see the well-being of our Armed Forces and their families, as part of the whole package that we offer to them.
As I think noble Lords know, I speak as the father of a member of the Armed Forces. It is often said that a parent is only as happy as their least happy child. On one level, I can imagine that it is also true that a member of His Majesty’s Armed Forces is only as happy as their least happy family member. So there is a pastoral duty here—one that is supported by many in the Armed Forces, including welfare organisations and our military chaplains—but both these amendments would help us really state the pastoral support that we as a nation feel is important for not only our Armed Forces personnel but their children, their families and their dependants.
Continue reading “Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Bishop of Norwich supports amendments on families of service members”
The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on grant applications from Cathedrals on 6th March 2025, during a discussion on introducing admission charges to museums and galleries for non-UK residents:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, this nation’s cathedrals, while not museums, are among the gems of our heritage—treasure troves of memory, architectural masterpieces, and places where prayer has been valid for centuries. The majority do not charge anyone for entry, because they believe in a theological principle that places of prayer should be free for all. Will the Minister confirm that, when cathedrals that do not charge an entry fee apply for grants from public money, His Majesty’s Government will not penalise them?
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about grant funding for Cathedrals”The Bishop of Norwich spoke at the second reading of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill on 5th March 2025, supporting the bill while raising queries on the work of army chaplains, the UK Armed Forces Families Strategy, and the definition of family members given in the bill:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his introduction. I saw it as a very positive step that the Labour Party pledged in its 2024 general election manifesto to establish an independent Armed Forces commissioner to improve service life.
I declare an interest as the father of a soldier. While my own son is enjoying his Army career and gaining much from it, previous speeches in your Lordships’ House and in the other place have cited record lows in morale and a crisis in recruitment and retention as driving this need for a strong, independent voice to represent the needs of service personnel and their families. So I see it as a very positive step forward that the Bill will enable any personnel or their families to raise a service welfare matter with the proposed commissioner, wherever in the world that matter may have taken place.
Service personnel and their families give much to this nation, as has already been said in your Lordships’ House. Much of that is unseen and can impact on extended family members, who often give unstinting support to loved ones during deployments and at other times. Personnel and their families never know what is around the corner or what might be expected of them, as we know all too well at present.
Continue reading “Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Bishop of Norwich raises impact on families and army chaplaincy”The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on ensuring study-abroad opportunities, particularly for students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, on 5th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, universities in the Cathedrals Group—the 14 higher education institutions founded by the churches—have a higher proportion of students who progress to university when they are older, and/or who are the first in their family to progress to university. How will His Majesty’s Government ensure that all students who wish to, and particularly those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage, are able to access the life-changing opportunities afforded by studying abroad, given the loss to students of Erasmus funding?
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about study-abroad opportunities for UK students”On 4th March 2025, the Bishop of Norwich asked a question on the UK’s commitments to Ukrainian defence, following a government statement on the status of the conflict:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I thank the Minister for the Statement and echo other comments in your Lordships’ House about the leadership that the Prime Minister has shown in recent days. In Norfolk last week, I spent time with some of the brave Ukrainian men and women who are being trained, over a very short five-week period, by the Irish Guards and instructors from a range of international allies under Operation Interflex, learning the vital skills that they need to defend their nation in the face of Putin’s illegal invasion. Will the Minister give assurances that this commitment to Operation Interflex and to train Ukrainian men and women remains absolutely ironclad and will continue for as long as it is needed?
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks government commitment to defence spending”The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on addressing the root causes of violence against women and girls on 4th March 2025, during a discussion on relationship, sex, and health education:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, the Church of England’s National Society for Education is proud to be part of the White Ribbon project, whose aim is to prevent men’s violence against women and girls by addressing its root causes. In our Church schools, we support the ability to explore these themes in collective worship, RSHE curricula and class time. What plans do His Majesty’s Government have to address the root causes of violence against women and girls in their revised guidance?
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about addressing causes of violence against women and girls”The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on government obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species on 3rd March 2025, during a discussion on climate change:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, on this World Wildlife Day, the day that the United Nations marks the adoption of the CITES—the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species—and given that climate change is having an impact on rare and endangered species and the habitats that support them, making them rarer and more endangered, even extinct, and driving up their illegal value, will the Minister allow us to hear a little bit more about how His Majesty’s Government are working to ensure that their obligations under the CITES are met?
Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks about protection of endangered species”
The Church of England in Parliament 
You must be logged in to post a comment.