The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham tabled a question on the effectiveness of recruitment and retention policies for the armed forces on 7th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of their recruitment and retention policies for the armed forces.
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The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on the role of faith groups and the third sector in supporting rehabilitation of offenders on 2nd June 2025, during a discussion on the recently published Independent Sentencing Review:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, I join other noble Lords in welcoming the publication of the review. My friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Gloucester regrets that she is not able to be in her place today, but I know that she has been raising many of the issues addressed in this review over several years. It is heartening that the review has looked at creative alternatives to prison that are rigorous and yet also address the root causes of people committing crimes in the first place, and has proposed effective ways of preventing people entering cycles of criminality and reoffending, as well as strengthening and protecting communities, which is in the interest of victims on all sides.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about role of third sector in rehabilitating offenders”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:
The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on ensuring sufficient funding for the BBC world service on 2nd June 2025, highlighting its role in communicating issues of faith and freedom of religion:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, the World Service has been particularly effective at communicating issues of faith and freedom of religion. In light of the increasing need for and importance of this, will His Majesty’s Government ensure as a priority that there is sufficient funding for the World Service, and that this is both retained and enhanced?
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about funding of the BBC World Service”The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham spoke in a debate marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan on 9th May 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, it is a privilege to speak in this debate. I congratulate my right reverend friend the Bishop of Peterborough on her excellent maiden speech, and I look forward to her insightful and wide-ranging contribution to the work of this House in the coming days, particularly drawing on her experience in education and with young people. I also thank the Minister for his very moving and impassioned speech opening this debate.
We commemorate a time of extraordinary sacrifice and service in the story of our nation, as well as our allied partners, notably in the Commonwealth. Victory, we know, was hard won. I pay particular tribute to the vital work of the Armed Forces chaplains, who served with great distinction throughout the war. We can be thankful that they remain an essential and fully integrated part of our military capability, not only because of their vital role in times of conflict but for the well-being of all service personnel during training, on exercise and on deployment in strategic peacetime operations.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham takes part in VE and VJ day debate”The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on the impact of increased numbers of pupils with special educational needs on school absenteeism on 7th May 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, as a foster carer for Nottingham city, I am aware that children with higher levels of often complex needs hugely benefit from additional support in smaller integrated learning environments in order to stay motivated and engaged. I press the Minister again very particularly: what assessment have the Government therefore made of how the increase in the number of children with significant special educational needs—who now very often remain in large classes, with the disruption that creates for many pupils—is impacting on pupil absenteeism?
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about special educational needs and disabilities and school absenteeism”The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on tailoring school PSHE programmes to facilitate opportunities for young men to access positive role models on 6th May 2025 , during a discussion on tackling knife crime:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, given the importance of young men needing positive role models in their lives, and of these being people they actually know and can talk to consistently, have His Majesty’s Government considered—as part of their Young Futures programme—how the PSHE curriculum in schools can be tailored more to facilitating these opportunities, taking note particularly of the excellent work of charities such as Kick, which are providing more and more mentors to primary and secondary schools?
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The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham received the following written answer on 17th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the changes to the system for reclaiming VAT on listed places of worship on projects which have already signed a contract and where the work has begun, such as St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme”The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham spoke in a debate on reform of the law around prenuptial agreements on 27th February 2025, raising issues involved in these agreements and urging further reflection on the implications of changes to the law, as well as highlighting the value of the marriage covenant:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, for bringing the debate on this Motion and for raising such fundamentally important issues, which she set out so clearly. I also acknowledge with respect the considerable wisdom and insight of the noble Baroness, Lady Shackleton, on these matters.
It has been my personal privilege to prepare many couples for marriage over the years. It is a hopeful time, where couples seek to express unconditional love and trust, and commit to share all aspects of their life, both at the time and looking to the future, whatever it may hold. I believe it would be detrimental for all parties if prenuptial agreements were to become a normal part of preparing for marriage, whether religious or not—although I entirely acknowledge the arguments in favour of these agreements, particularly the clarity they provide in financial matters, especially where there are pre-existing children, and their role in reducing litigation upon divorce.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham argues for further reflections on proposals relating to prenuptial agreements”The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham received the following written answer on 2nd December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation in the report The Voices of Supported Lodgings: Strong foundations for our future, published by Homes for Good and Safe Families on 16 October, that the Government should introduce a ‘supported lodgings lead’ within every regional care co-operative with responsibility for supported lodgings provision.
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