Tag: Durham

Bishop of Durham asks Government about arrangements for refugee family reunion after Brexit

On 18th March 2019 the House of Lords debated a Motion to Approve the Immigration, Nationality and Asylum (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, it is striking how small a part asylum and resettlement have played in the conversation about a post-Brexit immigration system. Assuming—and praying—that we do not leave without a deal, I hope that discussion of these vital areas will not be limited to the margins of an already limited engagement with the immigration White Paper and the SIs. I have a series of questions for the Minister.

It might just be me, but I often struggle to see evidence of the Home Office applying the family test in SIs and other areas. Can the Minister assure me that the family test has been applied to these SIs?

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Votes: Trade Bill

On 13th March 2019 the House of Lords considered amendments to the Trade Bill. Two Bishops voted on an amendment moved by Lord Fox. 

Lords voting Lobby
House of Lords Division Lobby

Lord Fox moved amendment 24. Insert the following new clause:

“Trade agreement with the EU: mobility framework
It shall be the objective of the Secretary of State to take all necessary steps to
secure an international trade agreement with the European Union which
includes a mobility framework that enables all UK and EU citizens to exercise
the same reciprocal rights to work, live and study for the purpose of the
provision of trade in goods or services.”

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Votes: Trade Bill

On 13th March 2019 the House of Lords considered amendments to the Trade Bill. Three Bishops voted on an amendment moved by Lord Hain, and one moved by Lord Fox: 

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Bishop of Durham asks Government about universal credit and child poverty

19.01.07 durhamOn the 25th February 2019 the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer to a question about Universal Credit, the two-child limit and the cost of childcare.

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the report by the Social Metrics Commission ‘A new measure for poverty for the UK’, published in September 2018, what steps they are taking to ensure working parents with more than two children and who are claiming Universal Credit are not being pushed further into poverty due to the cost of childcare. [HL13861] Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about universal credit and child poverty”

Bishop of Durham asks Government about impact of two-child limit on access to free school meals

On 21st February 2019 Lord Bassam of Brighton asked the Government “whether they intend to reconsider recent changes to access to free school meals following their decision to delay the roll out of Universal Credit.” The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a question on the two-child limit:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, the two-child limit means that welfare reforms weigh particularly heavily on families with three or more children. What assessment have the Government made of the consequence of changes to free school meals that are set to impact on children with more than one sibling? Does the Minister agree that this policy will effectively harm children from large families through no fault of their own? Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about impact of two-child limit on access to free school meals”

Bishop of Durham – We need an immigration policy led by the needs of communities and the personhood of migrants

On 14th February 2019 the House of Lords held a short debate on a question from Lord Roberts of Llandudno, “to ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to improve immigration procedures in the United Kingdom.” The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, took part:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I too thank the noble Lord for securing this debate, and need to declare my own interest, as laid out in the register, as a trustee of Reset.

Given the velocity with which the incredibly narrow immigration Bill will likely be sped through this House, any and all opportunities for Parliament to provide scrutiny of immigration is to be welcomed. Without more scrutiny we seem to risk squandering the potential for a reset moment in the way that the UK thinks, debates and legislates about migration.

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Bishop of Durham asks about tensions between Rwanda and Burundi

On 13th February 2019 the Bishop of Durham received a written answer to a question on relations between Rwanda and Burundi:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of tensions between Rwanda and Burundi; and what steps they plan to take in response. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about tensions between Rwanda and Burundi”

Bishop of Durham asks Government about support for Police widows

Durham040219On 6th February 2019 Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, received a written answer to a question about Police widows pension entitlements.  

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service on 24 January 2018 (123402), what plans they have, if any, to amend the Police Pensions Regulations 1987 and the Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 to equalise the support given to the widows of police officers. [HL13065]

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Bishop of Durham asks Government about community organisations access to new shared prosperity fund

On 4th February 2019 Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town asked the Government “what progress it has made on the design and implementation of the proposed UK Shared Prosperity Fund in the light of reports that the Prime Minister is considering providing additional funds to former steel and mining communities and industrial towns.”  Responding to the news that the Government would launch the consultation on the single prosperity fund shortly, the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, will the Minister confirm that in the consultation, local community organisations will be assured that they can access the new fund so that local issues really do rise to the surface in use of the funding? Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about community organisations access to new shared prosperity fund”

Votes: EU Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration

On 14th January 2019 the House of Lords voted to pass a ‘Motion to Regret’ the Government’s EU Withdrawal Agreement, tabled by the Leader of the Opposition Baroness Smith of Basildon. Five bishops voted, and whilst the Archbishop of Canterbury attended and spoke in the debate, he abstained in the vote. 

House of Lords Division Lobby

Baroness Smith of Basildon moved ‘That this House, while noting that it is for the House of Commons to determine the matter, considers that a no deal outcome to negotiations under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union must be emphatically rejected, and regrets that withdrawal from the European Union on the terms set out in the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration laid before Parliament would damage the future economic prosperity, internal security and global influence of the United Kingdom.

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