Legislation before Parliament
Bishops took part in two votes in the House of Lords on amendments to the Government’s Immigration Bill at its Report Stage on 7th April 2014. In both cases the amendments passed, meaning the Government was defeated. Continue reading “Votes: Immigration Bill (trafficking, citizenship)”
The Bishop of Leicester spoke during Report Stage of the Immigration Bill, speaking in favour of Baroness Lister’s Amendment 21. The amendment sought to reduce the threshold at which a child becomes a material factor in a parents’ immigration case from seven to four years. The amendment was not moved, with the Minister giving assurances that the Bill would not have a negative impact on the safeguarding or welfare of children in the United Kingdom.
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, I want just to assure your Lordships that as the noble Baroness, Lady Lister, suggested, I support Amendment 21 in spirit. I also support it in practice. It seems that the arguments, from any understanding of child development, are clearly overwhelming. I speak as a former chair of the Children’s Society and as a member of the commission that published the A Good Childhood report on behalf of the Children’s Society some four or five years ago, which was based on the evidence of more than 20,000 children, many of them very young children. They made it very clear, even at the age of five or six, that friendships were an absolutely primary part of their understanding of their well-being. This is documented and spelt out in that report, as indeed it is in many other more academic reports. I would be happy to support this amendment as it stands or even if it is reduced to fewer years. On the basis of any understanding of child development, the argument for a cut-off period of four years seems overwhelming. I hope the Minister will be able to respond positively to the amendment.
Lord Wallace of Tankerness: …The noble Baroness, Lady Lister, talked about her experience of losing friends at the age of four, and that was echoed by the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Leicester, but let us face it: many parents move with their children around the country or out of the country for work or other temporary purposes, and the family leaves to return home or move elsewhere. When a family comes to the United Kingdom for a temporary purpose, they cannot and should not expect to settle permanently in the UK, and should not be able to do so unless they meet the rules for doing so. It is essential that the public interest in controlling immigration and protecting the public be properly weighed in the balance, even when children are involved. We believe that Clause 18 strikes the right balance in this regard…
(via Parliament.uk)
Three bishops took part in two vote in the House of Lords yesterday (1st April 2014), on amendments to the Government’s Immigration Bill, during its Report Stage.
“I am sure, as are others, that this cannot be the end of the reform process for another generation.” – Bishop of Leicester
On 28th March 2014 the House of Lords debated a Bill that sought to enable Peers to retire their membership of the House, enforce retirement for non-attenders and expel those convicted of serious offences. This Private Member’s Bill, sponsored by Lord Steel and Dan Byles MP, was given widespread support during its Second Reading debate, including by the Bishop of Leicester.
The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, I, too, am deeply grateful to the noble Lords, Lord Steel, Lord Cormack and Lord Norton, and other noble Lords, for bringing us to this point. Continue reading “House of Lords Reform Bill – speech by Bishop of Leicester”
On 26th March two bishops took part in a Division on an amendment to the Government’s Defence Reform Bill, during its Report Stage in the House of Lords.
On 26th March 2014 the Bishop of St Albans received replies to two written questions, on human trafficking and the Government’s draft Modern Slavery Bill.
Human Trafficking – Question
The Lord Bishop of St Albans
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish the findings of the review of the National Referral Mechanism; and how civil society groups are being involved in that review.[HL6121]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): An announcement on the review of the National Referral Mechanism will be made shortly.
Continue reading “Human Trafficking, Modern Slavery Bill: Written Answers”
The Rt Revd Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester, took part in two divisions yesterday (25th March), on amendments during the Report Stage to the Water Bill.
Two bishops took part in a vote in the House of Lords yesterday (24th March), on an amendment to the Government’s Defence Reform Bill, during its Report Stage.
During the committee stage of the Government’s Immigration Bill in the Lords on 12th March 2014, the Bishop of Newcastle drew attention to the potential impact of measures in clause 16 that require nationality checks on potential tenants by private landlords. The Bishop asked the Minister whether the need for private landlords to have regard to a code of practice was in itself robust enough to prevent discrimination against migrants or those of foreign name or appearance.
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, perhaps I may also ask for some clarification. One of my concerns about this part of the Bill is that many landlords will simply not rent to anyone who seems to be foreign or who does not hold a British passport for fear of getting it wrong and being fined. I am afraid that that will inadvertently result in further racial discrimination and provide a charter for those unscrupulous landlords who are racist.
In response to the consultation, the Government accepted that the new rules might provoke landlords to discriminate against people they perceive to be foreign rather than to conduct proper checks. They also recognised the risk that vulnerable people might be impacted. So, in relation to the code of practice and the associated guidance which will make it clear that the checks do not allow landlords to act in a manner inconsistent with the UK’s equality legislation, is that in itself sufficient? It simply requires landlords to read the code and adhere to it without any redress at all if they do not. Continue reading “Immigration Bill – Bishop of Newcastle raises concern about potential for discrimination by landlords”
Bishops took part in two votes in the House of Lords yesterday (11th March), on amendments to two separate Government Bills, which were at the final stages of their parliamentary progress.
Continue reading “Votes – Offender Rehabilitation Bill / Antisocial Behaviour etc Bill”
The Church of England in Parliament 
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