I reported that this bill was included in the recent King’s Speech. It was introduced in the House of Lords today and received its first reading. The second reading is scheduled for 10 September 2024.
The text of the bill and a set of explanatory notes are available, together with a government press release.
The bill will extend the application of the 2015 act for a further five years, specifically to vacancies arising among the Lords Spiritual before 18 May 2030.
On one hand, this seems far too short a deadline given they only managed six (seven?) in ten years and how problematic CNC has become. On the other, I presume the current Government doesn’t imagine the chamber existing in exactly the same form after 2030 if they are still in power.
The Act isn’t responsible for the shortfall of women Lords Spiritual in the last ten years. You have put your finger on the real nub of the matter here: the actual number of female consecrations recommended by the CNC. That, it appears to me, is the ‘problem’ to be addressed, not the legislation which, incidentally, was specifically time-limited without a built-in provision to extend the term. We discussed this in some detail on TA (a year or more ago?) and there was a suggestion then that an entirely fresh Act would be required. The principal supporter (a distinguished regular TA… Read more »
I am surprised that there isn’t a clause allowing a Minister to extend the deadline by yet another five years using a Statutory Instrument. As you say, it hints that a more substantial change to the House of Lords may be envisaged if Labour wins a second term.
Extending the 2015 Act doesn’t overcome the problem which Archbishop Rowan Williams hoped that it would address. The Act has exposed that the disparity has not been resolved in ten years. It’s clearly the selection of diocesans which needs to be looked at. The further five years which you mention would make a total of twenty years which, I respectfully submit, would be wholly unreasonable and prejudicial to the concept of equality for the male bishops being ‘leapfrogged’, (doubtless an unfashionable and not ‘politically correct’ thing to say on TA, but nevertheless it is the reality). Fresh and practical thinking,… Read more »