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”
Tag: Immigration Bill 2015
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.
The 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”
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Norwich supports amendment on review of family reunion programme for refugees
On the 3rd February 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Immigration Bill in committee. The Bishop of Norwich, Rt Revd Graham James, spoke in support of an amendment co-sponsored by the Bishop of Southwark on family reunion for refugees. Following the response from the Government the amendment was withdrawn.
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Southwark, who has added his name to Amendment 234, cannot be in his place, but I am glad to speak on my own behalf and, I hope, for him, too, since we are of one mind on this matter. Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Norwich supports amendment on review of family reunion programme for refugees”
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Norwich backs amendment on support for unaccompanied young people seeking asylum
On the 3rd February 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Immigration Bill in committee. The Bishop of Norwich, Rt Revd Graham James, spoke in support of an amendment from Lord Alton of Liverpool proposing the extension of Local Authority support for young people and care leavers seeking asylum. The Bishop spoke about the danger of young people disappearing, without necessary support. The amendment was withdrawn after debate.
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I do not want to detain the Committee because we have heard the significance of these amendments, to some of which I have added my name. I want to follow what the noble Lord, Lord Judd, has just said because we all know that the consequence of not providing for these young people when they leave the care system is serious because they are going to remain in this country. Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Norwich backs amendment on support for unaccompanied young people seeking asylum”
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Norwich urges Government to reconsider cuts in asylum support
On the 3rd February 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Immigration Bill in committee. The Bishop of Norwich, Rt Revd Graham James, spoke in support of an amendment to clause 37 on levels of support for those seeking asylum. The Bishop echoed the concerns of the Bishop of Southwark, made at the Bill’s Second Reading, that further reducing the weekly support for people in the asylum system was unwelcome. After debate Peers decided to let the clause stand as part of the Bill.
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I support Amendment 230 in this group. My colleague, the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Southwark, spoke at Second Reading of his concern about the architecture of Clause 37 and Schedule 8. I share his belief that the reduced weekly support of £36.95 per person, to which the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, referred, for an asylum seeker under the current system is inadequate. Where that financial provision is refused, it is subject to a right of appeal. I note that in nearly two-thirds of such appeal cases, the appeal is successful or the refusal is withdrawn. Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Norwich urges Government to reconsider cuts in asylum support”
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Norwich supports amendments on welfare of child refugees
On the 3rd February 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Immigration Bill in committee. The Bishop of Norwich, Rt Revd Graham James, spoke in support of an amendment to clause 34 of the Bill, related to appeals and certification of human rights claims. The Bishop spoke about the need for the new legislation to better identify and protect childrens’ best interests.
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I rise from these Benches to support Amendment 227 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, and others.
The briefing note on Clause 34 to which the noble Baroness, Lady Lister, referred is a model of clarity. It was certainly very informative to me. It made clear, as the noble Baroness said, the statutory duty on the Secretary of State,
“to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of any child in the UK who … may be affected by any immigration decision”—
that duty is not in doubt—and that,
“the best interests of the child are a primary consideration”.
While I understand that a primary consideration may not be the only one, I do not understand how a primary consideration can be set aside even if it is in some way qualified. If it is trumped by other factors, it does not seem to be a primary consideration. So there must be a risk that Clause 34 unamended could undermine the Secretary of State’s statutory duty. Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Norwich supports amendments on welfare of child refugees”
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark raises concerns about new search powers
On 1st February 2016, the House of Lords held the 3rd day of the Committee Stage of the Government’s Immigration Bill. The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, spoke to an amendment that sought to remove Clause 17 from the bill (‘Powers to carry out searches relating to driving licences’)
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I share some of the concerns of the noble Baroness, Lady Lawrence, who sketched out the problems with enacting this clause. As the Government rightly tell us, reasonable suspicion is a well-established precept in English law and policing practice. However, this does not mean that it is infinitely elastic in its application. A prior question needs to be asked when legislating: is it applicable in this circumstance, and with what effect?
Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark raises concerns about new search powers”
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark supports amendment to allow asylum seekers to work
On the 20th January 2016 the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun spoke in support of an amendment to the Government’s Immigration Bill, in the name of Lord Kennedy of Southwark. The Bishop supported the aim of the amendment that asylum seekers should be allowed to work whilst waiting for their claims to be processed. The Bishop pointed to a resolution from the General Synod of the Church of England, which considered this issue in 2009 and favoured a 9 month period after which individuals could seek work. The amendment was withdrawn at the end of the debate.
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, Amendment 134, which I wish to support, is simple, just and proportionate in its aims. I accept that Home Office officials must, in the discharge of their duties in this area, deal with barriers of language, emotional distress, the fear of authority, the complexity of people’s lives and, on occasion, deceit. All this takes time. However, it is far from unknown for applicants for asylum to wait months or even years for a substantive decision in their case. This subjects them to a fearful limbo, with limited means of support and the background anxiety of not knowing for a very prolonged period what the outcome will be. Furthermore, we know from the experience of our own citizens the deleterious effects of prolonged inactivity on their emotional and physical well-being, and how this can erode an individual’s skill base
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark speaks about reduced support for asylum seekers and new powers for immigration officers
On the 22nd December 2015 the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun spoke during the Second Reading debate of the Government’s Immigration Bill. Bishop Christopher spoke about the proposals for new powers for immigration officers and voiced concern about further reductions in support for those whose asylum claims have been refused. He also drew on his recent visit to the Calais migrant camp.
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, the Bill is the latest in a list of substantive immigration legislation that this House has considered in recent years. Since the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 we have had five further pieces of primary legislation in this area, yet Her Majesty’s Government have published no White Paper on immigration since 2002—no considered, detailed overview and proposals through which we might consider all aspects relating to immigration before embarking on major legislation. The Explanatory Notes are helpful but they are no substitute for a White Paper. Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark speaks about reduced support for asylum seekers and new powers for immigration officers”
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