The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich received the following written answer on 12th October 2026:
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked His Majesty’s Government what conversations they have had with military chaplains and other welfare teams in the Armed Services about the historic and current prevalence of domestic and sexual violence in the service community.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asks about”The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich received the following written answers on 12th October 2026:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure they support pragmatic solutions for the delivery of aid in Myanmar, including in areas not in the control of authorities; and what steps they are taking to ensure the decriminalisation of humanitarian aid.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asks about support for human rights and humanitarian aid overseas”The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich received the following written answer on 12th October 2026:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reported 85 per cent reduction in religious broadcasting at peak times across public service media between 2011 and 2022; and what plans they have, if any, to reverse it.
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The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich spoke at the second reading of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (Restoration of Powers and Responsibilities) Bill on 11th September 2026, requesting clarification on how the principles of restorative justice would be integrated into youth criminal justice:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: My Lords, I was encouraged by the Government’s White Paper on youth crime, which highlighted the relationship between complex needs and the experiences of youth justice. However, the increasing prevalence of such needs underscores the necessity of retaining the specialist expertise of the Youth Justice Board.
In my own diocese, I have seen how those needs can draw children into crime; for example, through county lines. Many young people who come into contact with these networks are not simply offenders but often victims of exploitation and trauma. This is particularly true for Suffolk’s looked-after children and care leavers, who are at much greater risk of poor mental health and social exclusion, and are over-represented in the justice system. County lines activity provides a clear example of the importance of meeting complex needs with specialist expertise. The Youth Justice Board has long held this unique expertise, championing a child-first approach which prioritises prevention and safeguarding. We should therefore be cautious about transferring significant functions away from it.
Continue reading “Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (Restoration of Powers and Responsibilities) Bill: Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich speaks at second reading”
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich made her maiden speech in the King’s Speech debate on the topic of justice and accountability in the criminal justice system on 18th May 2026:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich: My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to make my maiden speech in this House. I begin by expressing my sincere gratitude for the warm welcome I have received from all sides. I thank the officers and staff of this House for their patience, professionalism and kindness in guiding new Members through these early days. As Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, I serve the people of Suffolk, that great east of England county upon which the sun rises first each morning. I aim to join those who live out the particular Suffolk virtue of quiet service: people getting on with the task, often without applause, motivated by a genuine desire to make their communities better places for all.
My academic literary research before ordination took me deep into the works of the great Elizabethan poet, Edmund Spenser, whose Fairie Queene examines some of the private and public virtues needed to uphold the common good and the bonds of society. Whether biblically or classically rooted, virtue is much needed. Leadership in this current age needs to refocus on the common good, the social bonds and contracts that hold individuals together as communities. Of course, I include in that a matter at the heart of our debate today in response to His Majesty’s gracious Speech: justice, with a specific interest in the realities of and responses to miscarriages of justice. I thank my right reverend friend the Bishop of Gloucester, from whom we will hear later in this debate, for her energy, commitment and expertise over the years in urging us to reimagine a better criminal justice system for all. I welcome the Government’s desire to improve the courts and look forward to seeing their proposed legislation in these areas.
Continue reading “King’s Speech Debate: Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich makes maiden speech”On 5th February 2026, the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, Rt Revd Dr Joanne Grenfell, was introduced to the House of Lords and took her seat on the Bishops’ Benches:
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked a question on raising public awareness of the need for funding of the armed forces on 28th January 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: My Lords, may I pick up a point raised by both the noble Baronesses on spending? I have always supported a considerable increase in spending on defence and share the frustration at the speed at which we are reaching it. My concern is that I am not sure the British public recognise that need. How are the Government proposing to raise awareness in a positive way that will support such an increase in spending?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich supports increase in defence spending”The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked a question on ensuring the safety of community spaces on 20th January 2025, in response to a government statement on investigations into child sexual exploitation and abuse:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: My Lords, I also pay tribute to victims and survivors in this regard, recognising that the failure to respond perpetuates and prolongs their suffering, and recognising—as noble Lords will all know—that the Church of England is facing significant challenges in putting its own house in order in that regard. I want to ask, therefore, a wider question on faith communities, all of which provide places of gathering and moral and social influence, and all of which strive to make those places as safe as possible. What conversations are continuing with leaders of faith communities to support them in that vital work?
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The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich received the following written answer on 11th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked His Majesty’s Government:
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich received the following written answer on 22nd November 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich asked His Majesty’s Government whether the appointment of the independent Armed Forces Commissioner for the UK will take place this year.
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