Tag: immigration

Bishop of Coventry asks Government about refusal of visas to Archbishops from Syria and Iraq

13.10 Bishop of CoventryOn the 21st December 2016, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, received answers to written questions concerning visa applications from Syria and Iraq and the refusal of visas to Archbishops.

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to review why the Archbishop of Mosul, the Archbishop of St Matthews and the Archbishop of Homs and Hama were refused visas to travel to the UK from Iraq and Syria to attend the consecration of the Syriac Orthodox Cathedral in London. Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry asks Government about refusal of visas to Archbishops from Syria and Iraq”

Bishop of Durham asks about safety of those removed from UK to Democratic Republic of Congo

Bp Durham June 2015 bOn 15th December 2016 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer to a question about those removed from the UK to the Democratic Republic of Congo:
The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to assess the safety of those who have been removed from the UK to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about safety of those removed from UK to Democratic Republic of Congo”

Bishop of Ely calls on Government to “make care work a recognised and valued profession.”

On 24th November 2016 the House of Lords debated a motion from Baroness Finlay of Llandaff “To move that this House takes note of the implications for the health and social care workforce of the result of the referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union.” The Bishop of Ely, Rt Revd Stephen Conway, spoke in the debate:

ElyThe Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, for bringing this important matter before the House today. The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Carlisle, our lead bishop on health and social care, cannot be in his place today, but I am glad to contribute from these Benches on his behalf.

The debate brings to mind two principles central to Christian faith and practice: justice for the stranger in our midst and care for the vulnerable. Mosaic law enjoins us not to withhold justice from the outsider. Only yesterday, in conversation, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government sought to check that I had heard the words of Jesus, “Love thy neighbour as thyself”. I am grateful to him. This reminds us that the words of Jesus tell us that every care and service given to others is a service given to God. Continue reading “Bishop of Ely calls on Government to “make care work a recognised and valued profession.””

Bishop of Winchester highlights positives for UK of international students

On 17th November 2016 the House of Lords debated a motion from Conservative Peer Lord Lucas, “that this House takes note of the application of immigration policy to overseas students at United Kingdom universities and colleges.” The Bishop of Winchester, Rt Revd Tim Dakin, spoke in the debate:

winchester171116The Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, I too thank the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, for securing the time to have this important debate. I begin by declaring several interests: as a governor of Winchester University and as visitor to the Oxford colleges of New College, Magdalene, Corpus Christi, Trinity and St John’s.

Universities have always been centres of wisdom and learning: places filled with global-minded people, where political, cultural and geographical boundaries are transcended for the common good. The value of studying abroad is unquestionable. How would scholarship look today if St Augustine had been unable to complete his studies due to visa complications? Would we have heard of Thomas Aquinas if he had been turned back at the French border? Finally, would,

“the world is everything that is the case”,

still be the case if Ludwig Wittgenstein had been asked to produce a study permit on arriving in Britain?

Continue reading “Bishop of Winchester highlights positives for UK of international students”

Bishop of Norwich asks Government about Christian refugees from Syria

norwich121016bOn the 13th October 2016 Baroness Cox asked the Government “what is their assessment of recent developments in Syria”. The Bishop of Norwich asked a follow up question.

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, the Minister will be aware that just 1.5% of those admitted so far under the Government’s Syrian refugee resettlement scheme from refugee camps are Christians, despite Christians making up 10% of the Syrian population, largely because Christians find the refugee camps themselves far from safe for them. What will the Government do to prevent their own scheme unfairly discriminating against one of Syria’s most persecuted and desperate and fastest-disappearing minorities? Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich asks Government about Christian refugees from Syria”

Archbishop asks Government to speed up process of bringing lone children with families in UK across from Calais Jungle camp

On 6th September 2016 Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty’s Government “what plans they have to speed up the reuniting of refugee children in the camps of Calais and Dunkirk with their families in the United Kingdom.” The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Justin Welby, asked a follow up question:

abccalaisqThe Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, the Question has been extremely specifically put about children who have families in this country; this is not about all unaccompanied children. My own diocese of Canterbury has taken on a staff member who is working in the Jungle, in co-ordination with a staff member taken on by the Catholic diocese of Arras. We are still having continual reports of delays for really quite young children who are not being brought across. Does the Minister not agree that where children—particularly young ones—have families in this country there is no reason why they should not be brought across within the day? Continue reading “Archbishop asks Government to speed up process of bringing lone children with families in UK across from Calais Jungle camp”

Bishop of Sheffield speaks on Church response to the migrant crisis

On Wednesday 15th June 2016 the House of Lords debated the Report from the European Union Committee The EU Action Plan against migrant smuggling (4th Report, Session 2015–16, HL Paper 46). The Bishop of Sheffield, Rt Revd Steven Croft, spoke in the debate:

14.03.27 Bishop of SheffieldThe Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I welcome the two reports before us in all their complexity and I thank the members of the European Union Committee for their expertise, which is already evident in this debate. I particularly welcome the committee’s recommendation in paragraph 8 that the mandate of Operation Sophia is reviewed and renewed, along with the EU’s subsequent decisions. Clearly, this operation alone cannot be the complete answer to the challenges that we face. However, the European Union must not return to the position that it held before the Lampedusa tragedy of apparent indifference to those who seek to cross the Mediterranean in danger of their lives. Nor can we neglect the spread of people-smuggling on and across our borders. Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield speaks on Church response to the migrant crisis”

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”

Bishop of Southwark asks Govt about detention of pregnant women under the Immigration Act


SouthwarkOn 25th May, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether they will make it their policy routinely to publish statistical information on the detention of pregnant women under the Immigration Act 2014.” The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Rev Christopher Chessun, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I would be grateful if the Minister would detail the criteria and give examples of the exceptional circumstances that justify the detention of pregnant women under the Act.

Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks Govt about detention of pregnant women under the Immigration Act”

Division: Immigration Bill

On 12th April 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Immigration Bill at third reading. The Bishop of Chester took part in two votes that that took place on the Bill:

Continue reading “Division: Immigration Bill”