Southwark – Page 2 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Southwark asks about impact of benefit cuts on vulnerable groups

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on benefit cuts impacting the vulnerable and disabled on 12th June 2025, following a government statement on the Winter Fuel Payment:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, like other Peers, I welcome this decision. The other day, I asked the Minister something to which he did not respond, and I wonder if I might ask it again. Is one of the lessons learned from this for the Government that, should they be making further cuts in spending, they might not look to vulnerable or disabled people.

Votes: Holocaust Memorial Bill

On 11th June, the House of Lords debated the Holocaust Memorial Bill. Votes were held on an amendment to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:

Bishop of Southwark asks about impact of future benefit cuts on the vulnerable and disabled

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on the restoration of winter fuel payments to the elderly on 10th June 2025, asking the government to confirm they would not introduce further cuts impacting vulnerable or disabled people:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I welcome the reversal of the decision on winter fuel payments, having spoken, like others, cautioning against so many pensioners who are vulnerable and in need being deprived of it—not against the principle of changing it and restricting it to some degree. I just wonder whether, in terms of lessons learned, a more general principle might be acknowledged that in future cuts, the Government will not look to making them from vulnerable or disabled people.

Bishop of Southwark asks about recent attack on Anglican Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza and urges government to consider recognition of state of Palestine

On 9th June 2025, the Bishop of Southwark asked a question on the recent Israeli forces attack on the Anglican Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza, and raised the need for the UK government to recognise the state of Palestine:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister and to His Majesty’s Government for the Statement on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. May I press the Minister on two things? The first is the attack by Israeli forces on the compound of the Anglican al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, killing five, including three journalists and a father escorting his son to the surgical unit for treatment for prior injuries. This is the latest in a number of attacks by the IDF on church hospitals and churches, in defiance of international law. Will the Minister accept that specific actions are now required, since reasoned pleas have been ignored?

Secondly, in light of what the Minister has said about the UN conference from 17 to 20 June and the conducive time to recognise Palestine, will he confirm that a bold and clear statement will be made at that conference of the Government’s firm intention to recognise the state of Palestine?

Bishop of Southwark asks about impact of national insurance changes on SEND provision

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on the impact of changes to employer national insurance on SEND support and provision on 9th June 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: The Minister will recall from the amendment I tabled in Committee to what was then the Bill that my twin brother was an early beneficiary of SEND transport. Will the Government monitor the impact of national insurance increases on the effectiveness and continuity of provision in this area and inform the House of such findings in due course?

Bishop of Southwark asks about humanitarian aid to Gaza

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 5th June 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning its responsibilities under international humanitarian law for access to food, water and medical supplies by the population of Gaza.

Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark speaks at second reading

The Bishop of Southwark spoke at the second reading of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill on 2nd June 2025, pointing out the need for resources involved in managing the immigration and asylum system, and the potential effects of further hard line approaches to immigration enforcement:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, the diocese in which I serve covers one of the most diverse parts of the country. Indeed, arguably, south London is one of the most ethnically diverse places in the world. This diversity is often represented in our churches, which have benefited, as has the rest of the country, from the great human fact of migration. It would be good to hear some recognition of this in government and Home Office statements.

It is worth stressing that the vast majority of migrants to this country come here properly under the Immigration Rules, and thus there is no proper sense in which their arrival and settlement can be described as uncontrolled. The Government of the day may, for good reasons of public policy, wish to alter the rules or introduce fresh primary legislation, but that does not mean that a system and process is not in place, that applications are not assessed and fees paid, and that the results do not match what Parliament has sanctioned.

Votes: Data (Use and Access) Bill

On 2nd June 2025, the House of Lords debated the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:

Bishop of Southwark asks about impact of US tariffs on vulnerable populations

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on the need to protect the vulnerable in the event of economic downturn on 3rd April 2025, following a government statement on UK-US trade and tariffs:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I am grateful to the Secretary of State for his cautionary words in the other place, repeated here, about eschewing simplistic solutions and “loud voices”, following the imposition of these arbitrary and unwarranted tariffs, and to the shadow Secretary of State for advocating cool heads. That is vital.

Does the Minister agree that, if the impact of this very regrettable development is to depress economic activity—which is all too likely, sadly—there needs to be a priority assigned to protect the most vulnerable in this country from its effects? Will she further comment on any co-ordinated action with other countries to mitigate the effects on those territories, particularly in the Commonwealth, whose economic resilience is far less than our own?

Bishop of Southwark emphasises importance of meeting environmental targets

The Bishop of Southwark spoke in a debate on the affordability of the net-zero emissions target on 3rd April 2025, advocating for continued pursual of the 2050 goal of net-zero emissions:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, this is a timely debate. I am very glad to be able to speak in it. I am reminded that the preacher in the Book of Ecclesiastes says:

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven”,

including—I dare to mention in your Lordships’ House—a time to speak and a time to keep silence.

For the Church, increased costs have a material effect on what we can do, but I am as reluctant as anyone else to tilt at windmills or turbines. Not only the scientific consensus about human activity and climate but the dramatic changes of one’s lifetime—expanding deserts, retreating glaciers, rising sea temperature, extreme weather events—lead me to believe that this is a situation where the option is not “when”, or even “what”, but “how”. As with other great crises, we must shoulder the burden, and it is a challenge to our political leadership to share this task. In the Church of England, we have an exceptionally challenging target set by General Synod of achieving net zero by 2030. The national Church has ring-fenced £190 million to support its churches and clergy housing towards this goal.

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