Tag: Durham

Bishop of Durham Welcomes Universal Credit Announcement

From the Church of England website:

Following comments by the Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd on changes to Universal Credit, the Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, who speaks for the Church of England on issues relating to children and young people, said:

“As a just and compassionate society, we believe that every child is a blessing and deserves to be treated equally.

“So I very much welcome today’s announcement that the two-child limit policy will not be extended to children born before the policy came into effect in April 2017. I also welcome the Government’s more considered approach to moving people on to Universal Credit from the old benefits system.

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham Welcomes Universal Credit Announcement”

Bishop of Durham asks for clarity on Universal Credit regulations

On 8th January 2019 the House of Lords heard the repeat of a Government statement on delaying the timetable for a full rollout of Universal Credit. The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a clarificatory question:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I thank the Minister for the time that she has given to a number of us. The session that we had at the DWP was very informative and helpful, and I thank her for it. However, ​I am still confused as to why, when we met the Minister, we were told that these regulations had to be dealt with before Christmas, yet we are still not clear exactly what regulations we will be asked to debate. Can she please clarify that? Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks for clarity on Universal Credit regulations”

Bishop of Durham asks Government about Iranians seeking asylum in the UK

On 7th January 2019 the House of Lords heard repeated a Government statement on migrant crossings of the English Channel. The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, on a slightly different tack, given that those seeking asylum seem to be mainly Iranians, and the number of Iranians seeking asylum in the past two years has been steadily reducing, is work being done to discern whether this is an ​increase in number or a transfer of route? Is work being done to understand the dynamics of exactly what is going on? Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about Iranians seeking asylum in the UK”

Bishop of Durham on need to welcome refugee children on 80th anniversary of Kindertransport

durham-230117-bOn 26th November 2018 Lord Dubs led a short debate on the motion: ‘To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the decision to allow Kindertransport children to come to the United Kingdom.’ The Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, contributed to the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I add my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, for securing this debate and for all he does as the living embodiment in this House of the Kindertransport legacy. It was also my privilege to be present at the event at the Friends’ meeting house a couple of weeks ago, which was deeply inspiring.

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Bishop of Durham asks about impact of two-child limit on wellbeing of children and families

On 20th November 2018 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received answers to three written question about the impact of the two-child limit for Universal Credit claims on children’s wellbeing and financial resilience:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to their decision to extend the policy to provide Universal Tax Credit to a maximum of two children to new Universal Credit claimants from February 2019, whether there will be an exception for families with three or more children who were born before 6 April 2017. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about impact of two-child limit on wellbeing of children and families”

Bishop of Durham asks about food, health and political security in Burundi.

On 15th October 2018 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer to a question on Burundi:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their latest assessments of (1) food, (2) health, and (3) political, security in Burundi. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about food, health and political security in Burundi.”

Bishop of Durham asks about future of Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme

On 10th October 2018 the Bishop of Durham, Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer on the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to announce any resettlement commitment through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme beyond 2020; and if so, when. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about future of Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme”

Letter: Honour Britain’s tradition of saving child refugees

The following letter appeared in The Sunday Times on 2nd September 2018. Signatories included two Lords Spiritual, the Bishops of Durham and Southwark, and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams of Oystermouth:

Honour Britain’s tradition of saving child refugees

Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders call on the government to offer sanctuary

September 2 2018

Three years ago today Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old Kurdish refugee, drowned because he had no safe route to sanctuary in Europe. The lives of more than 9,000 people fleeing war and persecution have been lost in the Mediterranean since that little boy’s death.

This autumn Britain will mark a more hopeful anniversary. Eighty years ago the Kindertransport was launched, a rescue operation that saved 10,000 Jewish and other refugee children from Nazi persecution.

Now it is our turn to honour that legacy by helping more child refugees to find safety here. On this anniversary we call on the government to match the efforts of the Kindertransport and establish a lasting route to protection in the UK for 10,000 child refugees in future years. Continue reading “Letter: Honour Britain’s tradition of saving child refugees”

Written Answer – Bishop of Durham questions the Government about the two child limit and Child Tax Credit

On 2nd August 2018 the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler received a written answer from Lord Bates about Child Tax Credit.

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Written Answer – Bishop of Durham questions the Government about Social Security Benefits and two child limit.

On the 25 July 2018 the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler received three written answers from Lord Bates about the number of households affected by the two child limit.

Continue reading “Written Answer – Bishop of Durham questions the Government about Social Security Benefits and two child limit.”