Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment the Church of England has made of the potential impact on the decriminalisation of abortion on clergy’s cure of souls.

In her capacity as Lead Bishop on Health and Social Care, the Bishop of London made a statement related to the proposed changes to abortion law on 20th June 2025, which can be found in full on the Church of England website at: https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/abortion-law-changes-comment-bishop-london

It included the following:

“Considering any fundamental reform to this country’s abortion laws should not be done via an amendment to another Bill. There should be public consultation and robust Parliamentary process to ensure that every legal and moral aspect of this debate is carefully considered and scrutinised. We need a path that supports women, not one that puts them and their unborn children in the way of greater harm.”

Assessing the potential impact of such a legal change is a long-term process, and Lords Spiritual continue to engage with the Crime and Policing Bill as it progresses through Parliament.