refugees – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Winchester asks about safe refugee routes for religious minorities in Iran

On 8th July Bishop of Winchester asked a question on safe and legal routes for Iranian nationals seeking asylum, particularly religious minorities facing persecution:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, if I may broaden the scope of the Question, given that the recent conflict has not led to any evident improvement in the situation facing ordinary Iranians, what assessment have His Majesty’s Government made of the availability of safe and legal routes for Iranian nationals? I am thinking in particular of members of Iran’s persecuted and vulnerable religious minorities, including Christian converts, Bahá’ís, Sunni and Sufi Muslims.

Bishop of Sheffield asks about plans to mark 75th Anniversary of the Refugee Convention

The Bishop of Sheffield received the following written answer on 7th July 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to mark the 75th anniversary of the Refugee Convention.

Bishop of Leicester asks about freedom of religion for refugees in the UK

The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on the importance of freedom of religion and belief for incoming refugees in the UK on 22nd June 2026, during a discussion on security and safety concerns around the protection of Hong Kongers:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, while I am not aware that there was any religious element to the incidents referred to, we know that many Hong Kongers have come to this country seeking religious freedom and, indeed, many thousands have joined our churches. Can the Minister give reassurance to those people that the freedom of religion and belief will be honoured here?

Bishop of Sheffield asks about move-on period for refugees

The Bishop of Sheffield tabled a question on the timeline for the publication of the evaluation report of the 56-day move-on period pilot for those granted refugee status on 10th June 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: To ask His Majesty’s Government what is the timeline for the publication of the evaluation report of the 56-day move-on period pilot for those granted refugee status.

My Lords, in begging leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper, I declare my interest as a patron of the ASSIST charity in Sheffield.

Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab, Home Office): My Lords, the Home Office commissioned an evaluation of the 56-day move-on period, which has now been completed, following the pilot concluded earlier this year. The final report, by happy coincidence, was published on 10 June and is available to read online.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about changes to refugee status and housing

The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answers on 24th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked His Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish the National Centre for Social Research evaluation of the pilot move on period for newly recognised refugees to leave asylum accommodation.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about impact of conflict in the Middle East on refugee movements

On 19th March 2026, the Bishop of Chelmsford tabled a question on refugee movements following Israeli military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of refugee movements following Israeli military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about US military actions in Iran

The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answer on 18th March 2026:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked His Majesty’s Government:

what steps they are taking to prioritise the safety of UK nationals, diplomats and military personnel in the Middle East, including their safe passage out of the region. Hansard
what steps they are taking to work with regional partners, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar and Turkey, to encourage the United States of America and Iran to find a diplomatic solution to war. Hansard
what assessment they have made of the diplomatic progress made in the negotiations between the United States of America and Iran before the start of US military action against Iran. Hansard
what assessment they have made of the compliance of military action by the United States of America against Iran with Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. Hansard
what representations they have made to the government of the United States about the limitations and risks of military action in Iran. Hansard
what assessment they have made of the impact of military action by the United States against Iran on the level of military assistance to Ukraine. Hansard
what is their  response to civilian casualties in Iran caused by the military action by the United States and Israel; and what steps they are taking to support Iranian people by providing aid and continued access to information channels. Hansard
what assessment they have made of the potential for an increase in refugees from Iran; and what steps they are taking to establish safe and legal routes, and humanitarian assistance, to those seeking to leave Iran. Hansard

Bishop of Gloucester asks about potential increase in arrival of Iranian refugees in the UK

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on government preparation for a potential increase in Iranian refugees arriving in the UK on 15th January 2026, following a government statement on the violence against protestors in Iran:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, as I said earlier this week, Iranian Christians across our churches are deeply distressed at not being able to have contact with their loved ones in Iran. I suspect that, in the coming months, we are going to see more Iranians arriving on our beaches. What are His Majesty’s Government doing to prepare for this and to be forward-thinking in the stance that will be adopted regarding welcome and hospitality?

Bishop of Hereford asks about impact of new immigration regulations on refugees

The Bishop of Hereford asked a question on the viability of safe and legal routes for asylum seekers to come to the UK on 20th November 2025, during a discussion on the government’s asylum policy:

The Lord Bishop of Hereford: My Lords, I declare an interest as a participant in the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Three and a half years on, we have a delightful Ukrainian family still living in our house. In the section of the report on safe and legal routes, the options in the policy document include a route to safety for students and skilled workers. Such schemes may be a useful adjunct to sufficient open safe and legal routes, but does the Minister share my concern that, in a world where safe and legal routes are limited, we may send a message that young, healthy, skilled people are more deserving of sanctuary than others?

Bishop of Sheffield asks about application routes for refugee families

The Bishop of Sheffield tabled a question on the Refugee Family Reunion Scheme, asking what the timeline would be for introducing a new application route for families on 14th October 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: To ask His Majesty’s Government, following the temporary suspension of new applications to a refugee family reunion scheme, what is the timeline for introducing a new route.

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