Author: parliamentaryunit

Bishop of Durham asks about welfare of children of those with restricted immigration status

19.04.24 Durham 2On 7th August 2019 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer from Government regarding the children of restricted immigrants:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: HL17455 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 23 July (HL Deb, cols 668–70), how many children have been affected by having no recourse to public funds in each of the 54 local authorities; and what estimate they have made of the total number of children so affected. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about welfare of children of those with restricted immigration status”

Bishop of St Albans asks about funding for problem gambling clinics

St Albans 2On 6th August 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer from Government, in reply to two questions about funding for problem gambling clinics:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: (i) HL17484 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 17 July (HL16963 and HL16964), what was the budget of Leeds and York Partnership NHS Trust for funding the NHS Northern Gambling Clinic; and what is the projected cost of that clinic in (1) 2020, (2) 2021, and (3) 2022.

(ii) HL17485 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 17 July (HL16963 and HL16964), what was the budget of the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust for funding the National Problem Gambling Clinic; and what is the projected cost of that clinic in (1) 2020, (2) 2021, and (3) 2022.

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Bishop of Coventry asks about democratic process in South Sudan

180416 CoventryOn 6th August 2019 the Bishop of Coventry, Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received a written answer from Government, in reply to a question about South Sudan:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: HL17388 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the upcoming deadline for forming South Sudan’s Transitional Government, what steps they are taking to encourage the parties and regional powers in that region to (1) unify security forces, and 2) clarify, with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Dr Riek Machar’s freedom to travel back to South Sudan.

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Bishop of Durham asks Government about support for Congolese refugees

On 5th August 2019 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer from Government regarding support for Burundi’s government in hosting DRC refugees:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: HL17454 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they are offering the government of Burundi in hosting Congolese refugees being displaced through the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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Bishop of Durham asks Government about free school meals for children of those with no public funds immigration status

19.01.07 durham bOn 30th July 2019 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer, from Lord Agnew of Oulton, regarding free school meals for children of those with no recourse to public funds because of their immigration status:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: HL17456 To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 23 July (HL Deb, cols 668–70), what plans they have to review access to free school meals for children who are affected by having no recourse to public funds.

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Bishop of Durham asks about EU Settlement Scheme, vulnerable groups and children

19.04.24 DurhamOn 30th July 2019 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer from Government, in reply to three questions about children and vulnerable EU nationals and the EU Settlement Scheme:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: (i) HL17344 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the status of the guidance issued on 3 April to all local authorities and health and social care trusts in regard to the EU Settlement Scheme and looked-after children and care leavers; and whether it is mandatory for local authorities to follow that guidance.

(ii) HL17345 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence was collected on the children who were non-UK European nationals accommodated under section 20 of the Children Act 1989, their family situations and possible vulnerabilities, before drafting the guidance on EU Settlement Scheme and looked-after children and care leavers issued on 3 April.

(iii) HL17346 To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to evaluate the impact of the funding of support and its provision to vulnerable groups, including analysis of what future work is needed to ensure that vulnerable groups are able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme after funding ends in March 2020. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about EU Settlement Scheme, vulnerable groups and children”

Bishop of Rochester highlights needs of vulnerable women prisoners

17.10 RochesterOn 25th July 2019 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Farmer (Con) that the House “takes note of the needs of women in the criminal justice system”. The Bishop of Rochester contributed to the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Farmer, for obtaining this debate and for his unstinting efforts in this area, not least the welcome emphasis in his most recent report on relationships, which he expounded so clearly when introducing this debate.

I am sorry that the right reverend Prelates the Bishop of Gloucester and the Bishop of Newcastle are not in their places today, because they both take a very close and informed interest in the issues around women in the criminal justice system. However, I have visited a good number of women’s prisons over the last few years and, in making those visits, I have been both shocked and inspired.

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Archbishop of Canterbury responds to statement by new Prime Minister, stresses importance of support for families

Canterburydebate081217cOn 25th July 2019 the Leader of the House of Lords  (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) repeated a statement made in the House of Commons by the new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I welcome the repetition of the Statement. We on these Benches wish to express our thanks to the Chief Whip, the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, and to Mr Evans. We tend to turn over numbers rather more regularly than your Lordships and have always been very well welcomed. We are deeply grateful and will miss them both very much indeed. I say that on behalf of all Members of these Benches—including the ones in disguise [indicates Lord McFall, sitting beside].

To move away from Brexit for a moment, the Statement talks powerfully about ambitions for education, tackling crime, social care and health, and about increasing funding for them very significantly.

All that will of course be most welcome—if it comes. The issue, though, is that money does not do it all. In all those areas, the impact of households and families in their many diverse forms today is crucial. Social care is best handled—most effectively and affectionately—from within the home.

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government about working with local faith communities to help Ebola victims

St Albans 2On 25th July 2019 the Bishop of St Albans asked the Government “what steps they are taking to help those areas affected by the latest outbreak of Ebola which has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization”. He then asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her Answer and, indeed, for the money that has been made available. One of the most effective ways of rolling out preventative health education is to use local indigenous leadership. In 2015, Christian Aid and other charities recommended that NGOs should engage with local faith leaders for this purpose. Are Her Majesty’s Government following this advice? Secondly, with daily flights between DRC and Europe, given the highly infectious nature of this disease, will she explain to the House the steps that are being taken for our own domestic preparedness?

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Bishop of Ely asks Government about support for adults with learning disabilities

Ely231018On 25th July 2019 Baroness Wheeler asked the Government “what assessment they have made of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services Budget Survey 2019 on the state of adult social care”. The Bishop of Ely, Rt Revd Stephen Conway, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, we have heard, properly, about the needs of the elderly. Will the Minister assure us that the needs of people with learning disabilities will be better addressed in any action the Government are likely to take, particularly ​since some 41% of the helpline calls to Mencap in April were from people very concerned about the loss of community care?

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