On the 25th January 2017, the Bishop of Durham, Rt. Revd. Paul Butler, co-sponsored an amendment to the Higher Education and Research Bill, which would ‘allow all refugees resettled to the UK…to access student finance and home fees.’ The amendment was led by Lord Dubs and Viscount Younger of Leckie responded on behalf of the Government. The amendment was withdrawn after debate.
The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, it is my privilege to have added my name to this amendment. My favourite Christmas card of the past year came from a refugee from Burundi. Last summer, when I visited Burundi, I accessed the rector of the university that she had had to flee and arranged for her qualifications from that university to be released and forwarded to her in this country so that she could commence university, which she will do in September this year. It was a huge relief to her because without that piece of paper she would have had to return and undertake A-levels. In her Christmas card she not only thanked me, but said that it was being able to access higher education straightaway that made her feel welcome and wanted, and that we believed in integrating her into our country. Continue reading “Higher Education and Research Bill: Bishop of Durham supports amendment on student finance for resettled refugees”
On the 25th January 2017 the Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a question to the Government on the floor of the House of Lords about unaccompanied child migrants in Europe. His question, the response and full series of follow-up questions from Peers is reproduced below.
On 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.
On the 21st December 20165, Lord Shipley asked the Government “what is their latest estimate of the number of people who will be homeless or living in temporary accommodation over the Christmas period”. The Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question:
On 20th December, the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, received an answer to a written question conerning the resettlement of Syrian refugees.
On 8th November 2016, the House of Lords considered the Government’s Children and Social Work Bill at its Report Stage. They debated an amendment co-sponsored by the Bishop of Durham and Lord Dubs on the welfare and protection of unaccompanied migrant children. Lord Watson of Invergowrie moved the amendment on behalf of Lord Dubs and the Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, spoke on behalf of the Bishop of Durham. The Bishop welcomed the Government’s commitment to publishing a strategy to implement the substance of the amendment. In her response, Baroness Williams of Trafford, Minister of State for the Home Office, paid tribute to the work of the Church:
On Monday 24th October, Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty’s Government “what steps they are taking to fulfil the obligation under the Immigration Act 2016 to accept unaccompanied child refugees before the camps at Calais and Dunkirk are demolished on 31 October.” The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Rev Christopher Foster, asked a follow up question.
On 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.
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