On 2nd July 2018 Baroness Evans of Bowes Park repeated a Statement on the European Council that had been made by the Prime Minister earlier that day in the House of Commons. The Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Dr Peter Forster, asked a question about regional disembarkation platforms, which are proposed centres for dealing with migrants and refugees seeking to enter the EU:
The Bishop of Chester: Can the noble Baroness tell the House more about the proposed regional disembarkation platforms? How would they operate and where would they be likely to be established? Continue reading “Bishop of Chester asks government about EU plans for managing migrants and refugees”
The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, for securing this debate. I also extend my thanks to the inspectors for their helpful report. While I am about it, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Ramsbotham, for his kind words.
On the 11th May 2018 the Bishop of Chester, Rt Revd Peter Forster spoke during the Committee Stage debate of the Refugee (Family Reunion) Bill. Bishop Peter intervened during the debate on an amendment from Lord Marlesford to limit the number of family members who can be relocated. The Bishop disagreed with the amendment and believed it was drawn too narrowly. The amendment from Lord Marlesford was withdrawn at the end of the debate and the Bill will proceed to its next stage. The whole debate can be read at the link below.
On 2nd May 2018 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, received a written answer to a question on assistance for refugees:
On 18th April the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, received written answers to two questions on refugees: 
On 5th February 2018, Lord Roberts asked Her Majesty’s Government ‘whether they intend to ensure that every failed asylum seeker, and anyone facing removal from the United Kingdom for whatever reason, has access to adequate legal advice.’ The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:
The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, what steps are being taken to pressure the EU to accelerate family reunification processes? Our colleagues in the Anglican communion in Europe have noted that applications made for family members in Greece to come to this country are currently taking well over a year and that the processes have, sadly, slowed in the past 18 months. 
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: Can the Minister confirm that any new provision will be at least as generous as under the Dublin III regulations and that there will be even wider scope for child refugees to join not only parents in the UK but also other relatives such as uncles, aunts, grandparents and adult siblings? Will they also be given the support they need to live safely and in decent conditions? 
The Church of England in Parliament 
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