The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 13th November 2025:
The Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of the impact of benefit sanctions on (1) the mental health of claimants, (2) levels of household debt, and (3) food bank use.
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The Bishop of Leicester spoke in support of an amendment to the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill which would provide protections for those in poverty regarding benefit overpayments on 21st October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, I am pleased to have added my name to this amendment. As this is the first time that I have spoken at this stage, I want to thank the Ministers for their careful consideration of the concerns raised by noble Lords, as well as all those who have engaged with such diligence on this matter. For the record, this is an important Bill. Attempts to commit fraud will not stop as a result of this Bill—that will never be possible—but it will be far harder for those making these attempts, and that is absolutely right, as is the ability to recover overpayments.
The principles behind this amendment are fairness in the face of the various reasons for an overpayment being made, including error by the department, and affordability, ensuring that those already in poverty are not pushed further into it. Let us remember who will bear the brunt of these new powers: people who are reliant on benefits, which independent research suggests are already insufficient to meet people’s basic needs. With the requirement to pay off their debts via universal credit deductions of up to 15% of the standard allowance, there is a real risk that many will, I fear, be pushed even deeper into poverty.
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On 16th October 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioners, Marsha De Cordova MP, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:
Christianity: Palestine
Richard Baker MP (Lab, Glenrothes and Mid Fife): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what support the Church of England is providing to Christians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Christianity in Palestine, Child Protection, Poverty”On 22nd July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Universal Credit Bill. A vote was held on a regret motion associated with the Bill, in which a Bishop took part.
The Bishop of Newcastle spoke at the second reading of the Universal Credit Bill on 22nd July 2025, expressing concern regarding the potential impact of the bill on those with disabilities and the need to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and ill health:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I begin by offering my congratulations to the noble Baroness, Lady Shawcross-Wolfson; I look forward to her maiden speech, and acknowledge the valedictory speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Bryan. I also thank Ministers for listening to concerns about the Bill when it was initially brought forward.
A functional social security system tackles poverty and supports people to live full lives. With that, the system needs to retain public confidence, expressing the best of our values. It must also strike a balance between supporting people who are able to work and ensuring that people who cannot work are protected and cherished for who they are. We need economic growth—that is not disputed; this is, after all, a money Bill—but I am concerned for those who are left behind or who do not fit the model of financial productivity at the rate that seems to be desired.
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The Bishop of Leicester asked a question about the Jubilee 2000 Campaign on 17th July 2025, during a wider discussion on debt relief and cancelling international debt:
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Jubilee 2000 campaign—a remarkable coming together of tens of millions of people from around the world, which led to around $130 billion of debt being cancelled across 36 countries. It allowed those countries to reinvest in education, healthcare and poverty alleviation. The Pope has also declared this year a year of Jubilee and set up a commission to look at international debt relief. What are the Government doing to learn from the Jubilee 2000 campaign and to engage with faith communities and charities working in this sector?
Continue reading “Bishop of Leicester asks about engagement with work on debt cancellation”On 3rd July 2025, Marsha De Cordova MP, on behalf of the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:
People on Low Incomes in Rural Communities
Chris Vince MP (Lab/Co-op, Harlow) asked: 2. What steps the Church of England is taking to support people on low incomes in rural communities.
Marsha De Cordova MP (Lab, Battersea): Our most recent figures show that the Church of England was involved in more than 31,000 community projects across the country, including in my hon. Friend’s constituency of Harlow. In addition, funding for churches in the lowest income communities is set to increase from £91 million in the past three years to £133.5 million.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Support for those on Low Incomes, Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, Community Cohesion, Christians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Project Spire, Al-Ahli Hospital, Poverty”On 2nd June 2025, the Second Church Estates Commissioner gave the following written answers to questions from an MP:
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
Adam Jogee MP (Lab, Newcastle-under-Lyme): To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions the Church of England has had with the leaders of other faith groups on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, Archbishop of Canterbury, Poverty, Clergy, Churches”
The Bishop of Newcastle asked a question on increasing opportunities for social mobility in the UK on 22nd May 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Sutton Trust’s Opportunity Index and what steps they are taking to increase opportunities for social mobility across the country.
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The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 15th May 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government, following the publication of polling data on 11 April by Christians Against Poverty, Child poverty in the UK, what action they are taking to support parents and carers experiencing financial distress.
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