A bill to improve the gender balance of bishops in the House of Lords has cleared the upper chamber and will now head to the Commons.

The Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (Extension Bill) aims to increase female representation in the House of Lords.

Currently, bishops are appointed to the House of Lords based on seniority, with five of the 26 seats reserved for the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the Bishops of London, Durham, and Winchester.

The remaining 21 seats go to the longest-serving diocesan bishops. The new bill aims to change this system, allowing experienced and senior female bishops to be fairly represented in the Lords.

After women were allowed to become bishops in the Church of England in 2014, legislation was passed to give female bishops priority over longer-serving male bishops, reflecting their limited time in office.

Originally set to last until 2025, this arrangement is now being extended to 2030 at the request of the Church of England, as women still hold only six of the 26 Lords Spiritual seats.

The Bill has raised questions amongst MPs and faith leaders as to the relevance of the role of Lord’s Spiritual in a modern Parliament.

Conservative MP Sir Gavin Williamson criticised the automatic seating of clergy as outdated, saying it is "not reflective" of modern Britain.

Sir Edward Leigh has advocated for sharing these influential positions with leaders from various faiths.

Speaking to Premier, Theologian Dr Ian Paul asked why Church of England bishops were necessary in the House of Lords: “I think it communicates a sense of entitlement.

“There’s a danger that it belittles the contributions of other Christians in Parliament.”

The Bill will now move to the House of Commons for further debate.

If it passes all stages in the Commons, it will then receive Royal Assent and become law.