On the 12th April 2016 the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun received a written answer to a question about Syrian refugees.
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Tag: Southwark
Bishop of Southwark: Written Question on Iraq and Daesh
On the 5th April 2016 the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun received a written answer to a question about Iraq and the Islamic State.Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark: Written Question on Iraq and Daesh”
Bishop of Southwark asks about humanitarian aid and displaced persons in Iraq
On 1st April 2016 the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, received three written answers on Iraq, aid and displaced persons:
The Lord Bishop Of Southwark: What percentage of the Department for International Development’s humanitarian effort in Iraq has been transferred to partners and agencies working in Iraq. [HL7308] Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about humanitarian aid and displaced persons in Iraq”
Bishop of Southwark asks Government about building of separation barrier by Israel in the Cremisan Valley
On 2nd March the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, received two written answers to questions of Government on the building of a separation barrier by Israel in the Cremisan Valley:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel following its decision to start building the annexation wall in the Cremisan Valley, and in particular regarding building works on the privately owned land of Beir Onah in Beit Jala. [HL6278]
Bishop of Southwark asks Government about help for Iraqi refugees in Jordan
On 2nd March 2016 the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, received answers to three written questions on the plight of Iraqi refugees in Jordan.
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the conditions facing Iraqi refugees in Jordan. [HL6275]
Baroness Verma: The situation for many refugees in Jordan is challenging, irrespective of nationality. Services are provided by the international community and the Government of Jordan based on a system of prioritisation of the most vulnerable and Iraqi refugees are included in this system. Like all refugees, Iraqis are registered by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and access assistance from UN agencies, international NGOs and national NGOs. Partners assess vulnerability in Jordan at individual, community and household levels. These vulnerability assessments take into account positive coping strategies and support networks, which are understood to be better established among the Iraqi community, including through religious institutions such as mosques and churches. Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks Government about help for Iraqi refugees in Jordan”
Bishop of Southwark asks Government about Daesh presence in Gaza and West Bank
On 2nd March 2016 the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, received an answer to a written question on Daesh in Gaza and the West Bank:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the presence of Daesh in Gaza and the West Bank. [HL6280]
Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government’s assessment is that there are groups and individuals in the West Bank and (primarily) in Gaza who sympathise with or self-identify as Daesh but are not formally affiliated with them. We remain concerned about a possible Daesh presence and continue to monitor the situation closely.
(via Parliament.uk)
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark raises concerns about new search powers
On 1st February 2016, the House of Lords held the 3rd day of the Committee Stage of the Government’s Immigration Bill. The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, spoke to an amendment that sought to remove Clause 17 from the bill (‘Powers to carry out searches relating to driving licences’)
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I share some of the concerns of the noble Baroness, Lady Lawrence, who sketched out the problems with enacting this clause. As the Government rightly tell us, reasonable suspicion is a well-established precept in English law and policing practice. However, this does not mean that it is infinitely elastic in its application. A prior question needs to be asked when legislating: is it applicable in this circumstance, and with what effect?
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Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark supports amendment to allow asylum seekers to work
On the 20th January 2016 the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun spoke in support of an amendment to the Government’s Immigration Bill, in the name of Lord Kennedy of Southwark. The Bishop supported the aim of the amendment that asylum seekers should be allowed to work whilst waiting for their claims to be processed. The Bishop pointed to a resolution from the General Synod of the Church of England, which considered this issue in 2009 and favoured a 9 month period after which individuals could seek work. The amendment was withdrawn at the end of the debate.
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, Amendment 134, which I wish to support, is simple, just and proportionate in its aims. I accept that Home Office officials must, in the discharge of their duties in this area, deal with barriers of language, emotional distress, the fear of authority, the complexity of people’s lives and, on occasion, deceit. All this takes time. However, it is far from unknown for applicants for asylum to wait months or even years for a substantive decision in their case. This subjects them to a fearful limbo, with limited means of support and the background anxiety of not knowing for a very prolonged period what the outcome will be. Furthermore, we know from the experience of our own citizens the deleterious effects of prolonged inactivity on their emotional and physical well-being, and how this can erode an individual’s skill base
Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark speaks about reduced support for asylum seekers and new powers for immigration officers
On the 22nd December 2015 the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun spoke during the Second Reading debate of the Government’s Immigration Bill. Bishop Christopher spoke about the proposals for new powers for immigration officers and voiced concern about further reductions in support for those whose asylum claims have been refused. He also drew on his recent visit to the Calais migrant camp.
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, the Bill is the latest in a list of substantive immigration legislation that this House has considered in recent years. Since the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 we have had five further pieces of primary legislation in this area, yet Her Majesty’s Government have published no White Paper on immigration since 2002—no considered, detailed overview and proposals through which we might consider all aspects relating to immigration before embarking on major legislation. The Explanatory Notes are helpful but they are no substitute for a White Paper. Continue reading “Immigration Bill: Bishop of Southwark speaks about reduced support for asylum seekers and new powers for immigration officers”
Welfare Reform Bill: Bishop of Southwark supports amendment to exempt kinship carers from benefit cap reduction
On 21st December 2015 the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, spoke in favour of amendment 90B during the fourth day of committee stage of the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill. This amendment sought to exempt kinship carers from the impact of the reduced benefit cap.
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I rise to express my support for the intention behind the amendment in the name of the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, which makes both sound social and economic sense. If a child can be cared for within the family network, and that is not to be parents or step-parents, that is in most cases preferable for the emotional, physical and spiritual well-being of the child. Churches have watched and participated for centuries in the patterns of such relationships and know that while they can hide dangers, they provide in the main the best setting for the formation of life. Better that than the anxiety, grief and hardship that the imposition of benefit rules not designed for such scenarios imposes, and that a proportion of such children be an economic charge on local authorities and reap the emotional deficit that will all too often occur. Continue reading “Welfare Reform Bill: Bishop of Southwark supports amendment to exempt kinship carers from benefit cap reduction”
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