This week the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, supported amendments to the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill when it was discussed at committee stage in the House of Lords.
He talked about the importance of pastoral care for members of the Armed Forces and their families.
Earlier this month he spoke at the second reading of the Bill, welcoming the new role of Armed Forces Commissioner and paying tribute to the work of Armed Forces chaplains.
During his week leading daily prayers in the Lords Bishop Graham took part in several Q&A sessions with Government ministers highlighting issues ranging from the war in Ukraine to English cathedrals and from trade in endangered wildlife to violence against women and girls.
He asked about plans to address the causes of violence against women and girls as part of a session on publishing revised guidance for schools on relationship, sex and health education.
During questions about Ukraine he commended British leadership and mentioned the church service he had attended for Ukrainians training with the British Army and its allies, on the third anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion. However he expressed disappointment that the important uplift in defence spending came from the overseas development budget and asked for a wider public conversation on funding. Government minister Baroness Smith of Basildon assured him that the commitment to the Operation Interflex training of Ukrainian soldiers is iron-clad.
During a session about introducing museum and gallery charges for non-UK residents he asked about recourse to public grants for cathedrals which do not charge for admission, calling cathedrals ‘treasure troves of memory, architectural masterspieces and houses of prayer.’
He also asked about opportunities to study abroad following the UK’s withdrawal from the Erasmus programme – and in particular the future provision for older students and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds to access life-changing chances to study abroad.
On World Wildlife Day, March 3, Bishop Graham asked how the Government is meeting obligations under the CITES convention on trade in endangered wildlife.