The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 24th May 2022:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda will begin under the Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda.
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On 12th May the House of Lords Debated the Queen’s speech. The Bishop of Southwark spoke in the debate:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, the late Sir Winston Churchill said:
“To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day.”
I consider that a useful maxim for any Government’s programme, both to build up and, in modern speak, to level up. With that maxim in mind and looking at the Government’s concern in relation to the Human Rights Act, I say that the recently introduced measures on migration and further proposals on public order will inevitably impact adversely on the welcome of refugees, including Ukrainians, and on legitimate protest. I regret that we did not hear of specific action to insulate homes to tackle the energy crisis and measures to alleviate rising poverty, not to mention action on the climate crisis—in particular, an end to new fossil fuels. We must not allow these vital changes to be eclipsed by the Russian military escapade and its consequences in Ukraine.
However, important as that all is, I wish to focus on those elements in the gracious Speech that promise to address the balance between the operation of the courts and the legislature and to do so through a Bill of Rights. I note with appreciation the comments of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Judge, and other noble Lords.
Continue reading “Queen’s Speech: Bishop of Southwark speaks on legislature and the courts”The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 26th January 2022:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of India over its refusal to allow Oxfam and the Missionaries of Charity operating in that country to receive money from abroad.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con): We are aware that some Non Government Organisations (NGOs) have faced difficulties in India due to the application of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the Indian authorities, and that some have recently had applications to renew their foreign funding licenses rejected. We continue to support a wide range of local NGO partners in India, including through programmes, and officials have discussed issues facing NGOs directly with the Indian Government.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about treatment of Christians in India”The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 25th January 2022:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the claim by the Trades Union Congress that thousands of key workers are earning less in real terms than they were a decade earlier.
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con, Treasury): To examine the real terms earnings of key workers, we focus on public sector workers – which represent the majority of key workers.
Public sector pay in real terms (total pay, deflated by CPI) has grown at an annualised rate of 0.2% over the last decade (since the three months to November 2011). The level of public sector average weekly earnings (in real terms) is now in line with that of the private sector in the three months to November 2021.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about pay rates for keyworkers”The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 22nd November 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked Her Majesty’s Government:
The following written question was replied to on November 22nd 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken following the remarks by the High Commissioner for Jamaica on 4 November: “from a human rights perspective I am deeply concerned about cases in which persons are being removed having lived in the UK since childhood and have no known relations in Jamaica or familiarity with Jamaica”. [HL3845]
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks Government about deportations to Jamaica”The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 22nd November 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked Her Majesty’s Government:
The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 8th November 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked Her Majesty’s Government:
On 20th July 2021, two Bishops took part in votes in the House of Lords on reports on the conduct of several members of the House, regarding completion of the “Valuing Everyone” training mandated by the House of Lords Code of Conduct.
The Bishop of Southwark asked a question about the principle of businesses and governments seeking “free, prior, and informed consent” from indigenous communities before engaging in industrial activities, during a debate on human rights in business practices on 20th July 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I draw the Minister’s attention to the policy of the National Investing Bodies of the Church of England on extractive industries, which has an explicit commitment drawn from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to the
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