The Bishop of Winchester received the following written answer on 23rd October 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Winchester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure human rights provisions on freedom of religion or belief have been included in the Free Trade Agreement with India.
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The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 16th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what diplomatic support and business assistance they provide to UK-registered companies that trade in goods and services that facilitate and profit from the construction and growth of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about trade with businesses based in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 14th July 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what percentage of imports of goods and services into the UK from the Occupied Palestinian Territories originate from, or are linked to, activities related to settlements in (1) 2021, (2) 2022, (3) 2023, (4) 2024, and (5) 2025.
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On 13th May 2025, the Bishop of Manchester asked a question on ethical trade considerations following a government statement on trade negotiations between the UK and India:
The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, I too welcome both trade agreements in recent weeks and congratulate His Majesty’s Government on achieving them. I know that in my diocese in Manchester, the large Indian diaspora community will be working hard to help British exports where they have improved opportunities.
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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?
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about impact of US tariffs on vulnerable populations”The Bishop of Lincoln spoke in a debate on import and export of food and agricultural products from the EU on 2nd May 2024, raising examples from his diocese and the issue of carbon prodigality in imports:
The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, I am grateful for this time to say two things about Lincolnshire. One is that 24% of jobs there depend on the food chain, so are deeply impacted by our import and export arrangements. One of the things that has been brought to my attention is that the Grimsby Fish Dock receives its fish from Iceland over the weekend, for auction and distribution on Monday and Tuesday. Will there be enough environmental health officers on duty over the weekend to ensure that these auctions and distribution can take place under these new rules?
Continue reading “Bishop of Lincoln raises issues of job retention and carbon emissions during debate on food imports and exports”On 28th November 2023, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on contingency plans for grain shipping following an update on the conflict in Ukraine:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I was interested to hear the reference to the insurance for shipping. We are all aware, I think, of the vital importance of getting the grain out of Ukraine, both to support the Ukrainian economy and because it is making such a difference in feeding many parts of the world. Can the Minister tell us whether other contingency plans are being made in case shipping lanes get blocked again, and not least whether there other ways of getting grain out of Ukraine while we have the time to make those preparations?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about contingency plans for grain shipments from Ukraine”The Bishop of Exeter asked a question about the impact of the government’s decision to end direct payments to farmers on 4th July 2023, during a debate on government plans to reduce trade barriers to food imports from the EU:
The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, I wonder what account His Majesty’s Government have taken of the impact of ending their direct payments to English farmers, and whether it has put them at a competitive disadvantage compared to their European counterparts.
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The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 17th March 2023:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of (1) tomatoes, (2) peas, (3) onions, and (4) carrots, consumed in England that were imported; and for each of those types of produce, what were the countries of origin of those imports.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about produce imports”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 17th March 2023:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to find alternative routes for the export of grain from Ukraine given the closure of Black Sea ports in that country.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Grain is leaving Ukraine through Black Sea ports. As of 19 March, more than 900 voyages carrying over 25 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs departed ports to deliver vital foodstuffs to Asia, Africa and Europe through the UK supported Black Sea Grain Initiative. The UK, along with G7 partners, has also supported increased exports of grain from Ukraine through land routes into Europe. Specifically the UK provided £10 million to bolster the Ukrainian railway system and provide greater resilience to facilitate the movement of grain by land exports.
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