Tag: immigration

Bishop of Durham asks Government about resources for unaccompanied child refugees

On 6th and 7th March 2017 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received written answers to questions he had asked of Government about resources and capacity available to help unaccompanied child refugees.

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that local authorities have sufficient resources to accept unaccompanied child refugees in the financial year 2017–18. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government about resources for unaccompanied child refugees”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about religious literacy of asylum caseworkers

stalbans190117-bOn 9th February 2017 Lord Singh of Wimbledon asked Her Majesty’s Government “what steps they are taking to combat religious extremism and to promote a cohesive society by enhancing religious literacy at all levels of government.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Aolan Smith, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, just three weeks ago I spent half a day in an immigration removal centre and so gained an up-to-date insight into some of the complex and sensitive issues that are being dealt with there. Concerns continue to be raised about the level of religious literacy among some of the asylum caseworkers. Is the Minister content with the level of training that they are getting in religious literacy and, if not, what can be done to improve it? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about religious literacy of asylum caseworkers”

Archbishop of York asks Government about situation of those seeking asylum in the UK after Brexit

york-170117On 17th January 2017, Lord Bridges of Headley repeated a Government statement on Britain’s withdrawal from thew EU. The Archbishop of York, Most Revd and Rt Hon John Sentamu, asked a follow up question. 

The Archbishop of York My Lords, there are good things in the Prime Minister’s Statement. I have no intention of turning it into a Christmas tree on which to hang many baubles so that it collapses under the weight of them. Nevertheless, although the Prime Minister referred in her Statement to immigration and to welcoming the brightest and the best, I am surprised that, as a former Home Secretary who worked hard on immigration and the issue of asylum seekers in particular, she made no reference to asylum seekers. Continue reading “Archbishop of York asks Government about situation of those seeking asylum in the UK after Brexit”

Bishop of Durham asks Government how they assess safety of those deported to Democratic Republic of Congo

Bp Durham June 2015 bOn 9th January 2017, the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received an answer to a written question about the safety of those deported to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 15 December (HL3748), what steps they are taking to assess the safety of those removed from the UK to the Democratic Republic of Congo, once they are in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks Government how they assess safety of those deported to Democratic Republic of Congo”

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”