HL Deb 08 March 1989 vol 504 cc1473-5

2.37 p.m.

Baroness Blackstone asked Her Majesty's Government

What action they propose to ensure that a proper balance is maintained in the discussion of moral and ethical issues in schools.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government look to schools and teachers to adopt a balanced and sensitive approach in dealing with moral and ethical issues, taking account of the views of parents.

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children and LIFE have been distributing written material and videos of a quite unsuitable kind for adolescents? Is he aware that this material is emotionally disturbing, technically inaccurate and politically motivated, and that it is causing parents a great deal of concern? Can he say what action the DES is taking to deal with the problem?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State has received a complaint about the use in schools of a video concerning abortion which has been produced by LIFE. The complaint is currently being considered and a full reply will be sent in due course.

Lord Peston

My Lords, can the noble Viscount extend his answer a little further? He will be aware that the 1986 Education Act makes political activity in school illegal. These bodies seem to be political pressure groups. They themselves are connected with charities and seem to be endangering the charitable status of the organisations with which they are connected. Is it not the responsibility of the Secretary of State under the Act to take the lead in the matter? Is it not also the case that this has been going on for some time? It is very difficult to comprehend why the 1986 Act introduced the ban on political activity if it takes so long to do anything about that activity.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, it is for the schools themselves to decide whether and how to deal with the issue of abortion. It may be covered within different subjects, including science, personal and social education or in religious education. The Government look to the schools to show sensitivity in dealing with issues such as abortion, taking into account the views and concerns of the parents.

Lord Peston

My Lords, I hate to press the noble Viscount, but perhaps I may ask this question. While he is right that the schools can consider the issue of abortion, it is not the case that the schools are free to engage in political activity. Two years ago the Government went to a great deal of trouble to stop precisely that. The Question is not about a balanced approach to abortion (which we would all favour); it is about political activity. One requires an answer on that.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, the Question on the Order Paper is about moral and ethical issues. That is essentially a matter for each school to determine. Most typically moral and ethical issues will fall to be discussed either within religious education or personal and social education.

Lord Hylton

My Lords, is not the key word in this Question “balance”? Will the Government accept that if the organisations named are allowed to put their point of view, then those with a different point of view should also be allowed to have their say? Will the noble Viscount accept that these subjects may only be suitable for education, discussion and examination by certain more mature age groups of pupils?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, abortion is covered as an option in some GCSE religious studies syllabuses. However, there is no obligation on any school to teach pupils about it.

Baroness Young

My Lords, does my noble friend not agree that the particular case which has been cited this afternoon is one that will cause everyone some concern? As he said, the matter is now before the Secretary of State. Does he not also take into account whether or not this is a political matter? Is that not one of his considerations?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I am sure that my right honourable friend will take into account everything that has been said here today.

Baroness David

My Lords, may I ask whether HMI are going to produce any information on moral education in the curriculum matters series?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, that is a different question, to which I do not have the answer.

Viscount Eccles

My Lords, will the noble Baroness be kind enough to tell me the difference between a moral and an ethical issue?

A noble Lord

Answer!

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, I think that that is an extremely difficult question to answer. I apologise to the House for some duplication in my Question; but 1 think it is important for us to take into account that there is a great deal of blurring between "moral", "ethical" and "political". I wish to ask the Minister whether he is aware of the blurring that takes place on the subject. Also, is he aware that the Health Education Authority has not been consulted about these extremely unfortunate and emotionally disturbing videos? Will the DES be consulting the Health Education Authority as to their suitability?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, although personal and social education is not a foundation subject within the national curriculum, the subject will figure throughout the national curriculum on a cross-curricular basis. The Secretary of State has asked the National Curriculum Council as one of its first tasks to advise him on the place of personal and social education in the curriculum as a whole.

Lord Taylor of Blackburn

My Lords, is the Minister aware that when we were debating the 1982 education legislation and looking at the powers of governors and the moral and ethical teaching in schools, that was one of the things that we tried to emphasise should be at the discretion of local governors and not that of the Department of Education and Science? Surely it is for local governors at each individual school to decide that school's own policy as to what should be taught in that particular school in this area.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, that is exactly what I have been trying to say.

Baroness David

My Lords, does the Minister realise that in some cases I have read about neither the head teacher nor the governors knew what had been going on in the schools? Apparently one teacher had been showng the video for three years.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I did not know that.