women – Page 6 – The Church of England in Parliament

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: Bishop of Gloucester speaks on need for “restorative, responsible, and relational” criminal justice system

On 14th September 2021, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords. The Bishop of Gloucester spoke in response to the bill, expressing concern over the effects of the bill on women and children and calling for a “restorative, responsible, and relational” approach to criminal justice:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I am grateful for the varied contributions heard today from noble and learned Lords, many of whom have vast experience in this area. I declare an interest as Anglican Bishop to Her Majesty’s Prisons in England and Wales and as president of the Nelson Trust.

As a Lord spiritual rooted in Christian hope, I look for a criminal justice system which is restorative, responsible and relational, and which is effective in focusing holistically on prevention and rehabilitation as well as appropriate conviction and punishment.

There are some welcome proposals within this very long Bill. These include community and diversionary cautions, problem-solving courts and additional support for employment for ex-offenders. There are other aspects that raise concern, and I will name just a few of them: increasing sentence lengths, police-led diversion, sentencing of mothers, racial disparities and young offenders.

Bishop of Gloucester speaks about impact of aid cuts on women and girls

The Bishop of Gloucester spoke in a debate on the UK Foreign Aid Programme on 1st July 2021, stressing the impact cuts to aid would have on women and girls:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I have spoken before about the challenges faced by girls and women throughout the world, and I am therefore dismayed, along with others, by what we hear of the impact of the aid cuts on them. As the noble Baroness, Lady Sugg, said so eloquently, women and girls will suffer disproportionately as a result of these cuts. I understand that Her Majesty’s Government have undertaken a central equalities impact assessment. However, I believe this is yet to be published and I would be grateful for an update from the Minister.

Bishop of Gloucester asked about protection for migrant victims of abuse

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on safeguarding vulnerable migrant women and children from abuse on 28th June 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, during the passage of the Domestic Abuse Bill, now an Act, your Lordships discussed how best to protect migrant victims of abuse. Will the Minister assure me that any reforms, such as those being discussed here today, will safeguard migrant women and children, who are often particularly vulnerable?

Bishop of Gloucester asks about implementation of the Female Offender Strategy

The Bishop of Gloucester tabled a question on the progress of the government’s 2018 Female Offender Strategy on 21st June 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the progress towards the implementation of the Female Offender Strategy, published on 27 June 2018; and what plans they have, if any, to revise the timetable for its implementation.

Queen’s Speech – Bishop of Gloucester on criminal justice, violence against women and girls, online safety

On 18th May 2021 the Bishop of Gloucester took part in the fourth day of debate in the House of Lords on the Queen’s Speech. She focused on criminal justice, violence against women and girls, and online safety:

My Lords, I too look forward to the maiden speeches of the noble Baroness, Lady Fullbrook and Lady Fleet. In my few minutes, I shall briefly mention women in the criminal justice system, the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill, violence against women and girls and the online safety Bill. I refer to my interests in the register, as Anglican bishop to prisons.

I begin by asking: when will we see a renewed timetable for the 2018 female offender strategy? While I welcome the implementation of some of the deliverables, analysis by the Prison Reform Trust shows that the Government have met less than half the commitments. The concordat published last year does not appear to have been progressed. Then there was that shocking announcement of 500 new prison places for women, totally at odds with the strategy’s direction to reduce the number of women in prison. What evidence is it based on, and why is the designated £150 million not being spent on women’s centres and implementing the concordat?

Bishop of London asks about maternal mortality rates

The Bishop of London received the following written answer on 27th April 2024:

The Lord Bishop of London asked Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish a report on the work to reduce health inequalities around maternal mortality rates, in particular the higher rate of death in childbirth for Black women, led by Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE; and what action will be taken as a result of this report.

Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London supports amendment to safeguard migrant victims of domestic violence

On 21st April 2021, during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill, the Bishop of London spoke in support of an amendment tabled by Baroness Meacher, seeking to ensure that the personal data of migrant victims of domestic violence be safeguarded:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Meacher, for sponsoring this amendment, my friend the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Gloucester and everyone who has faithfully backed the inclusion of migrant women in this Bill. As we already know, the Government voted against the amendment, which would have improved access to justice for migrant women. The Commons outcome does not secure any long-term legislative protection for migrant women. That is a shame.

Votes: Domestic Abuse Bill

On 21st April 2021, the House of Lords debated Commons Reasons and Amendments motions to the Domestic Abuse Bill. Votes were held on further amendments to these motions, in which Bishops took part:

Bishop of Gloucester asks about experiences of female prison leavers

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 22nd February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked Her Majesty’s Government whether the recent announcement to provide temporary basic accommodation to support prison leavers at risk of homelessness in five National Probation Service regions will include (1) women-only accommodation, and (2) provisions for specific support for vulnerable women with complex needs.

Bishop of Gloucester asks about pregnant women and mothers in prison, impact on families of remand backlog

On 16th December the Bishop of Gloucester received written answers to questions on pregnant women and mothers in prison, and the impact on families of the remand backlog:

Prisoners on Remand

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the remand backlog on (1) prison overcrowding, and (2) the health and wellbeing of prisoners, including children and young people held on remand. [HL11119]

Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about pregnant women and mothers in prison, impact on families of remand backlog”

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