Tag: Durham

Children and Social Work Bill 2016: Bishop of Durham supports amendment on corporate parenting

On 4th July 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Children and Social Work Bill in Committee. The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, spoke in support of an amendment from Labour Peer Lord Warner on corporate parenting. The amendment was withdrawn following debate. The Bishop said:

Bp Durham June 2015 bThe Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I also support this amendment. I apologise for not being here for day one* but at Second Reading I explained that I would not be able to be present last week. At Second Reading, there were a number of clauses—this is one of them—where I was concerned that the work of independent fostering agencies, adoption agencies and the voluntary sector as a whole, which provides increasing support to children in care and leaving care, was hardly noticed. Continue reading “Children and Social Work Bill 2016: Bishop of Durham supports amendment on corporate parenting”

Bishop of Durham welcomes direction of Government’s Children and Social Work Bill

On 14th June 2016 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, spoke during the Second Reading debate on the Government’s Children and Social Work Bill: 

Bp Durham June 2015 bThe Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I am grateful that in the scheduling I find myself following the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, whose passion and commitment to those in care and care leavers is widely known.

In greeting the main thrust of this Bill in my comments on the gracious Speech, I welcomed the measures to strengthen adoption, and also said:

“We need to ensure that life chances for those in residential or foster care are as good as for all other children”.—[Official Report, 19/5/16; col. 41.]

A focus on long-term life outcomes is likely to lead to better decisions in placing children, including non-consensual adoption, but 75% of looked-after children are fostered, and it is no less important for them and for those in other forms of care that their long-term well-being outweighs any other considerations of economy or convenience. It is regrettable that the Bill has not addressed further issues of fostering and kinship care, as other noble Lords have already noted. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham welcomes direction of Government’s Children and Social Work Bill”

Home Affairs Select Committee hears from Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Durham – transcript

On Tuesday 7th June the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby and the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee in the House of Commons. They were asked questions on the migrant crisis, asylum support, the EU and faith community relations. HASC160607

The full transcript is available below or can be watched here – The Works of the Immigration Directorates (Q1 2016)

Continue reading “Home Affairs Select Committee hears from Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Durham – transcript”

Queen’s Speech 2016: Bishop of Durham responds on welfare, children and life chances

On 19th May 2016 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, spoke in the first day of debate on the Queen’s Speech. He focused his response on the Government’s life chances agenda, including poverty, children and welfare reform.

Bp Durham June 2015 bThe Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, the gracious Speech makes several commitments to improving life chances for the most disadvantaged. There is also a renewed commitment,

“to support the development of a Northern Powerhouse”.

It is in welcoming these that I shall make most of my remarks.

Children need the best possible start in life. They need to be loved and cared for above all else. Where this is best found in an adoptive family, seeing this established as well and as quickly as possible is important, so I welcome the proposed measures here and look forward to the details. For some, care ends up as the best loving option. We need to ensure that life chances for those in residential or foster care are as good as for all other children. When the time comes to leave care, it is often traumatic. A move to provide care leavers with a personal adviser until they are 25 is therefore a very welcome proposal. Continue reading “Queen’s Speech 2016: Bishop of Durham responds on welfare, children and life chances”

Divisions: Immigration Bill

On 26th April 2016 a number of votes took place in the House of Lords on the Government’s Immigration Bill, during debates on motions whether to accept or reject amendments made in the House of Commons. The Bishops of Durham and Leeds took part in the Divisions of the House: Continue reading “Divisions: Immigration Bill”

Bishop of Durham highlights importance of Credit Unions

Bp Durham June 2015 bOn 11th April 2016, Lord Holmes of Richmond asked Her Majesty’s Government “what steps they are intending to take to address the issue of the unbanked and underbanked in the United Kingdom.” Lord Ashton of Hyde responded. The Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a follow up question. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham highlights importance of Credit Unions”

Bishop of Durham calls on Government to speed up reception of unaccompanied refugee children

Bp Durham June 2015 bOn 16th March 2016 Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon asked Her Majesty’s Government “what is their assessment of the current refugee crisis in Europe in the light of the regional election results in Germany that indicate gains for the anti-migrant Alternative für Deutschland party.” The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a follow up question: 

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, does the Minister support the speeding-up of the reception of unaccompanied minors who have a family reunification right to come to this country? Will the Government explore further reunifications and accepting more unaccompanied minors into this country?

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham calls on Government to speed up reception of unaccompanied refugee children”

Bishop of Durham says prevention must stay at top of agenda for those tackling child abuse

On 14th March 2016 Lord Lexden asked Her Majesty’s Government “what steps they are taking to ensure that the police, social services and other agencies work together effectively to protect vulnerable children from sexual abuse.” The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a follow up question:

Bp Durham June 2015 bThe Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I declare my interests in relation to safeguarding for the Church of England, in which connection I shall be at the Goddard inquiry on Wednesday morning. Will the Minister agree that prevention must stay at the top of the agenda for all agencies, both statutory and voluntary, in responding to the crime of child sexual abuse and, in so doing, recognise that potentially every single child is vulnerable and that grooming must be one area of concern? Continue reading “Bishop of Durham says prevention must stay at top of agenda for those tackling child abuse”

Immigration Bill – Divisions

On 9th March 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Immigration Bill at Report Stage. Votes were held on two amendments, both of which passed. The Bishops of Durham and Chester took part in the votes. Continue reading “Immigration Bill – Divisions”

Immigration Bill: Bishop of Durham supports right to work for asylum seekers

On 9th March 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Immigration Bill at Report Stage. The House considered an amendment from Lord Alton of Liverpool that sought to give the right to seek work to those asylum seekers whose claims had not been processed within six months. The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, spoke in support of the amendment, which passed by a vote of 280 to 195.

14.06.10 Bishop of Durham 5The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I support the amendment and endorse everything that has been said already, and reinforce the point that the General Synod had a major debate on this and overwhelmingly supported such a move.

Some of the saddest conversations I have ever had have been with asylum seekers who came to this country and thought they would be welcomed, but have felt unwelcome; who want to be able to uphold their human dignity and feel that the best way of doing that is to become contributors to this society. Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Durham supports right to work for asylum seekers”