§ LORD BEAUMONT OF WHITLEYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that some local education authorities are compelling Roman Catholic children to go to R.C. schools against the wishes of the parents and the logic of neighbourhood schools; and what advice they propose to give to local education authorities on this matter.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE (LORD BELSTEAD)My Lords, the Education Acts allow parents to exercise a choice of school within the public sector, provided that in any particular case the choice is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure. My right honourable friend is not aware of any general difficulty affecting Roman Catholic parents who do not want their children to attend Roman Catholic schools, but she will always consider any appeals from parents which may be made to her.
§ LORD BEAUMONT OF WHITLEYMy Lords, I am grateful for that reply. Is the noble Lord aware that there have been considerable difficulties in this matter in Staffordshire, Wolverhampton, Wallasey and Birkenhead? There appears to be a policy of sending Roman Catholic children, even against geographical and educational necessities, to Roman Catholic schools. Would the Minister therefore accept the following principle: that it is not acceptable that children should be sent to denominational schools which their parents do not wish them to be sent to unless educationally, geographically or financially the reasons are overwhelming?
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, I am aware that appeals come to the Department of my right honourable friend under Section 68 of the 1944 Act. The principle to which authorities must have regard in allocating pupils to schools is 14 contained in Section 76 of the Act: parents have a right of choice of schools, subject to the two provisos which I gave in my original Answer. That is the principle to which the authorities mentioned by the noble Lord have regard, and that is the principle to which my right honourable friend must have regard when deciding appeals.
§ Baroness LEE of ASHERIDGEMy Lords, would the Minister agree, particularly against the background of the tragic situation in Ulster, that anything we can do to have children, whatever their religious background may be, educated in the same schools is good, and that we should give every possible encouragement to parents, whether they are Catholic, Jewish, Mohammedans, or whatever the religion of the home is, who want their children to be brought up in a school where all religions meet.
§ Lord BELSTEADMy Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness that what she has said is in no way inconsistent with Section 76 of the Act.