On 27th November 2023, the House of Lords debated new regulations regarding Age Assessment as part of immigration control. Votes were held on two Motions to Regret regarding the regulations, in which a Bishop took part:
The Bishop of London spoke in a debate on a motion to approve the use of X-rays as age determining tools for individuals subject to immigration control on 27th November 2023, raising the issue of informed consent, and of potential lack of capacity to perform the required X-rays:
The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I promise that I will be brief. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, for moving this regret amendment and thank all those who have spoken so far and so well. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Winston, for pointing out that this is not science; it is the use of scientific instruments. My two concerns relate to consent, as many have spoken about, and to the workforce.
Continue reading “Bishop of London speaks in debate on age-determination regulations in immigration enforcement”The Bishop of St Albans made a speech following a motion to take note on the mental health of children and young people in the UK on 23rd November 2023, advocating for urgent reform of the Mental Health Act to address issues with inpatient mental health care, and raising the issue of problem gambling and its effects on mental health:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too congratulate the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Hale, on her excellent maiden speech, and the noble Earl, Lord Russell, on securing this debate on an area of huge importance for all of us. As has been noted by many noble Lords already, and raised in the Question asked in the House by the noble Lord, Lord Bradley, on Tuesday, the omission of the mental health Bill from the King’s Speech has caused a great deal of worry and concern. It seems that we have time to debate pedicabs but not the urgent need for this review of our mental health provision.
With the number of children and young people being referred to mental health services increasing, alongside increasing waiting times for treatment, it is clear how urgent and pressing the reform of the Mental Health Act is. The Government have said that the Bill would be published when parliamentary time allows. I would argue that this is of the highest priority. Improved mental health in our young people and children—and the rest of the population, more broadly—would not only decrease the huge levels of suffering and anguish but bring immense economic benefits, saving taxpayers’ money and bringing more people into the workforce.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans urges efforts to improve inpatient mental health care”The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the success of dedicated networking hubs to speed up asylum claims for children and young people on 22nd November 2023, during a discussion on safe routes available for child refugees and asylum seekers to come to the UK:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, in May 2021, recognising the need to speed up the applications for child asylum seekers, the Government set up two dedicated caseworking hubs to try to process these claims more quickly. What assessment, two and half years on, has been made of the success of these dedicated hubs, and what more could be done to speed up the claims of young people as they seek asylum?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about success of networking hubs to deal with asylum claims for children and young people”On 16th November 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to questions from MPs in the House of Commons:
Engagement with Children and Young People
Bob Blackman MP (Con, Harrow East) asked: What recent progress the Church of England has made on increasing engagement with children and young people.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Engagement with Young People, Cathedrals, Same Sex Relationships, Persecuted Christians, Antisocial Behaviour, and Parish Ministry”
The Bishop of Derby received the following written answer on 24th October 2023:
The Lord Bishop of Derby asked His Majesty’s Government, following the Children’s Society’s The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, what steps the Department of Health and Social Care’s Major Conditions Strategy will take to prevent poor mental health and promote wellbeing in children and young people.
Continue reading “Bishop of Derby asks about mental health services for young people”The Bishop of Derby received the following written answer on 10th July 2023:
The Lord Bishop of Derby asked His Majesty’s Government what are the levels of youth unemployment in the most recent period for which data are available.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con):The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
Continue reading “Bishop of Derby asks about levels of youth unemployment”On 6th July 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:
Clergy: Homosexuality
Mr Ben Bradshaw MP (Lab, Exeter): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent discussions he has had with the Church of England General Synod on its expected timetable for bringing forward proposals on (a) blessings, (b) marriages and (c) rules for clergy in same-sex relationships.
Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): In February 2023 the General Synod agreed proposals that would enable same-sex couples to come to church after a civil marriage or civil partnership to give thanks, dedicate their relationship to God and receive God’s blessing.
Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Same Sex Relationships, Homelessness & Poverty, Young People, Investment, and Rural Areas”On 5th July 2023, during a report-stage debate on the Illegal Migration Bill, the Bishop of Durham tabled amendments which would reinstate the right of appeal against age assessments in respect of putative children who would otherwise be subject to removal under the bill:
The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, I rise to speak to Amendments 156A and 161. Due to a technicality, Amendments 156 and 157 were not formally withdrawn, but they will be withdrawn, so it is Amendment 156A which is under consideration. I note my interests as a trustee of Reset and with the RAMP project, as laid out in the register.
I thank the usual channels for changing business on Monday so that this item was first today rather than last on Monday. We noted previously that, both during the Nationality and Borders Bill and during this Bill, age assessments have been talked about at 2 am and just after midnight. I am truly grateful to the usual channels for hearing my plea about not being last on the agenda again.
Continue reading “Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Durham moves amendments reinstating right of appeal against age assessments”The Bishop of Durham tabled an amendment to the Illegal Migration Bill during the fourth day of the committee stage on 12th June 2023. The amendment would reinstate the right of appeal against age assessments for putative children affected by these under the bill:
121: Clause 55, page 56, line 21, leave out subsection (2).
Member’s explanatory statement:
This amendment reinstates the right of appeal against age assessments in respect of putative children whom there is a duty to remove under the Bill.
The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, in moving Amendment 121 I shall speak to Amendments 122 and 126 in my name. I am grateful to the noble Baronesses, Lady Lister and Lady Neuberger, for their support. My comments will also be in support of Amendments 124 and 125, which were tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Lister.
Before I get going, I note that on the Nationality and Borders Bill the debate on age assessment took place at 2.30 am on 9 February last year. We now find ourselves at 12:25 am discussing age assessments once again. Age assessments are serious matters. I know that it was not designed that this has happened again but it is extremely unfortunate, and since we have more time on Wednesday, I think we could have moved this to Wednesday. However, we have not, so I will carry on.
I believe strongly that these changes need to be made to Clauses 55 and 56 if we are to ensure that the welfare and best interests of children are protected. I will try to be brief, but they are critical amendments that are worthy of full consideration. It is vital that we adequately scrutinise the impact this Bill will have on children; it is therefore a failure in their safeguarding responsibility for the Government not even to have produced a child rights impact assessment. They are asking this Chamber to agree to these additional clauses on age assessments, added on Report in the other place, which on their own admission are more likely than not to be incompatible with conventions under the ECHR—not on the rights of anyone here today but on the rights of children. We have a duty to ensure that their voices are heard. Will the Minister guarantee that an assessment will be published before Report?
Continue reading “Illegal Migration Bill: Bishop of Durham tables amendment aimed at protecting children subject to age assessments”
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