Tag: refugees

Archbishop of Canterbury urges that “morals, not numbers” guide UK refugee policy towards Afghans

During a meeting of the House of Lords on 18th August 2021 to discuss the situation in Afghanistan following withdrawal of international troops and the Taliban entering Kabul, the Archbishop of Canterbury paid tribute to the people of Afghanistan and urged that the government policy towards refugees be guided by morality rather than numbers:

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I look forward especially to hearing noble and gallant Lords, diplomats and others with local knowledge of Afghanistan. We rightly remember the courage, suffering and sacrifice over the past 20 years and the courage being shown currently by our ambassador and service- people in Afghanistan, together with their colleagues, and reporters.

When we look back, I remember a cathedral full for the funeral of a soldier: family and many colleagues silent in dignity, some wounded, mourning their loss. The failure we face today is not military or diplomatic—they did all they could—it is political. Recovery and hope will come to Afghanistan with our supporting commitment to the neediest and most desperate. We have proven capacities in soft as well as hard power. We owe an absolute, lavishly generous moral covenant to all those who are at risk because they served with us in Afghanistan or took seriously our frequently professed commitment to its future, women and girls included.

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Bishop of Durham asks about immigration and resettlement

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answers on 21st July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of people likely to be resettled this year under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme; and how that figure compares to (1) 2018, and (2) 2019.

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Bishop of Durham asks about Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 20th July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government how many individuals have been resettled under its Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme since the scheme restarted.

Baroness Barran (Con, Home Office): In December 2020, the UK resumed resettlement following a pause due to the pandemic. On 25 February 2021 the Government met its target of resettling 20,000 refugees who have fled the conflict in Syria through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. Since then, the Government has continued to welcome refugees through the global UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS).

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Bishop of Southwark raises concerns about legality and effect of immigration rule changes

On 27th May 2021 the House of Lords debated the Government’s Immigration Rules and Statements of Changes to them. A Motion to Regret the Statements was moved by Lord Green of Deddington, though not put to a vote. His Motion read:

“That this House regrets that the Statements of changes to the Immigration Rules (HC813, HC1043 and HC1248), published respectively on 22 October 2020, 10 December 2020 and 4 March, do not provide clear and comprehensible descriptions of the changes proposed, nor of their likely effect. Special attention drawn by the Secondary Legislation Committee, 33rd and 40th Reports, Session 2019–21.”

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I too am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Green of Deddington, for securing this important debate on his Motion to Regret. Last year, several Members of your Lordships’ House cautioned against the major extension of the Government’s capacity to make law with minimal recourse to Parliament in the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act. Today, at the initiative of the noble Lord, Lord Green of Deddington, and not of Her Majesty’s Government, we have 90 minutes to examine three statutory instruments relating to the Immigration Rules, one of which runs to 507 pages. All three were subject to the negative resolution, which involved little or no scrutiny of such important areas of life. Your Lordships’ House last defeated Her Majesty’s Government by praying against a negative resolution 21 years ago. Is the Minister satisfied with the level of scrutiny that these statutory instruments have received? Would she agree with me that it would have been better to publish them first in draft and to seek the views of both Houses in a debate?

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Bishop of Coventry asks about conflict in Tigray region

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 12th April 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked Her Majesty’s Government:

  • what assessment they have made of the statement by the International Council on Monuments and Sites on 5 March that Tigray’s heritage is falling victim to fighting and “cultural cleansing”.
  • what representations they have made to the governments of (1) Ethiopia, and (2) Eritrea, about the need (a) to take immediate steps to prevent any further damage to the cultural sites of Tigray, (b) to safeguard and respect all cultural property in Tigray, and (c) to ensure that looted objects are restored to their communities.
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Bishop of Coventry asks about aid and refugee support in Sudan and Ethiopia

The Bishop of Coventry received the following written answers on 9th March 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Coventry asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to reports that over 60,000 refugees have left Ethiopia and entered Sudan following conflict in Darfur, what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) this does not destabilise Sudan, and (2) access to humanitarian aid is not affected.

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Bishop of Durham asks about funding for refugee resettlement scheme

On 3rd March 2021, the Bishop of Durham asked a question on funding for the UK’s refugee resettlement scheme:

The Lord Bishop of Durham [V]: I am a trustee of Reset and a member of the RAMP project. As the Minister knows, stakeholders continue to warn that, without parity of the timing of the resettlement scheme and a long-term funding commitment, they are unable to plan their services to resettle refugees. Indeed, some are having to place staff on notice and scale back their existing operations. Can the Government confirm now when the scheme will be launched for the long term with secure funding from the Treasury?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about treatment of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on concerns surrounding the treatment of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh on 2nd February 2021, during a discussion on the recent military coup in Burma (Myanmar):

The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: My Lords, many of us have spoken out over recent months for the protection of Rohingya Muslims. There is a deep worry at the moment that the Government of Bangladesh may continue their repatriation of the refugees. Are Her Majesty’s Government talking with Bangladesh? Also, what are the prospects for freedom of religion or belief, not least for the Christian minorities in the country, who are under threat at the moment?

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Bishop of Durham asks about granting of family dependent and refugee status visas

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 2nd February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government how many applications for Adult Dependent Relative visas have been refused since 2016.

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Bishops asks about cluster munition use, protection of refugees, cultural and religious sites in Nagorno Karabakh

On 7th December written answers were published to questions from the Bishops of Coventry, Leeds and Southwark on the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh:

Nagorno Karabakh: Cluster Munitions
The Lord Bishop of Leeds:  To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the use, if any, of cluster munitions during the recent conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. [HL10621]

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