Religious Education in Schools (Hansard, 9 October 2003)

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, a high-level steering group is taking forward the review of the 450 Government's interface with the faith communities. The review, which was a manifesto commitment, is time- limited. Its objective is to consider the most effective means of bringing the perspectives of faith communities, where relevant, into policy-making and delivery. The review is not concerned with specific policy issues such as the teaching of religious education in schools.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, have the Government changed, or do they have it mind to change, the financing of church schools? I am not clear from what my noble friend said whether that aspect will be considered.
Can the Minister confirm that the capital costs for a new school or the expansion of an existing church school would allow LEAs or schools to apply for a fixed-rate incentive of £400,000, payable on approval of the proposals? Is my noble friend aware that millions of people who do not have any religious faith, or have a very thin religious faith, will be strongly opposed to such massive sums being used for this purpose?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, we have a long tradition of church schools in this country. As far as I am aware, there is no intention of changing the funding base of their existence within the school system. My noble friend asked a number of supplementary questions; which go somewhat wider than the original Question. If I cannot cover any particular issue, I am sure that my noble friend Lady Ashton will be happy to provide more detail to the noble Lord on those points.

§ Lord Taverne
My Lords, is there not a big difference between treating children as Muslim children, Protestant children and Catholic children, as opposed to treating them as the children of Muslim, Catholic or Protestant parents? Is not the fundamental objection to religious schools that the two definitions are confused and the Government are supporting the first and not the second?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, I do not agree. As I said, it has long been a tradition that we support faith schools within our system, and I do not see a great pressure to change that. Surely we are here to reflect the breadth of our society, and that is what the Government are trying to do.

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, it may come as a shock to the Minister, but I wholeheartedly support him. My government when it was in office, other governments before them and this Government, supported personally by the Prime Minister, have welcomed the contribution that church schools make in our country and, indeed, are encouraging more of them. Church schools provided the first free education in this country. Long may they continue.

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, I do not believe the noble Baroness asked a question, but I am inclined to agree with her.

§ Lord Hylton
My Lords, can the Minister confirm, first, that the liaison group recognises that religious faith can contribute to good community relations; and, secondly, that religious motives sometimes fuel terrorism? Will the Government therefore encourage inter-faith dialogue to develop, and to include the extremes wherever possible, for the sake of peace both at home and abroad?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. It reflects what is happening in the wider community. Faiths make a tremendous contribution to the health and well-being of active communities and play an important part in them. The Government's policy is to work with all faiths. We are grateful, in particular, to organisations such as the Inter Faith Network and for the important work that other representatives from the Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Buddhist faith communities contribute to the way in which the Government work to develop and strengthen our communities. The noble Lord's comments about extremes and extremists are broadly understood and supported by the Government.

§ The Lord Bishop of Worcester
My Lords, I am sure that the Minister is aware that the late Lord Runcie, a former Archbishop of Canterbury, remarked that when he served on the border commission for Yugoslavia after the war he was surprised even then that no one thought it necessary to have anyone on it who understood about religion. Does he agree that a society in which people are not deeply rooted in their own traditions but also have a deep awareness of the traditions of others in relation to faith, is a society which—as we now know about Yugoslavia and our own country— is storing up a great deal of trouble for itself? Does he therefore accept that many of us are delighted that the Government are prepared both to support religious education in schools and to engage all religious communities in policy-making and discussion in relation to regeneration, which is such an important matter for all communities of faith?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, the right reverend Prelate speaks with greater wisdom on these matters than I ever could. I entirely agree. It is important not only to teach religious education but to foster and develop a greater understanding of religions and faiths and the important role that they play in our lives and communities. It is a telling fact that in the 2001 national census some 76.8 per cent of the population attributed themselves to a faith. That says a great deal about our society and the way in which it works.

§ Lord Mackie of Benshie
My Lords, does the noble Lord agree that the Government are storing up a great deal of trouble for themselves if we are to support schools where there are a great many very peculiar religions? Some of the people who have agreed with him should arouse suspicion in his mind. Would it not be far better to follow the example of France, where 452 facilities are available after school hours for the religious denominations to teach, but the schools are kept for teaching the children the basics of education?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, the noble Lord is entitled to his view—I am sure that it is shared by many—but we have a school system which draws in faiths and the teaching of different religions, and we do have faith schools. I do not see that there is any great pressure to depart from that principle. In fact, there seems to be a great deal of support for that approach in your Lordships' House today.

Lord Renton
My Lords, as the United Kingdom has been for hundreds of years basically a Christian country, and as broadcasting now plays such an important part in the lives of all its people, will the Government give every encouragement to liaison with the broadcasting authorities in order that religion is given its proper place in broadcasting?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, the advice I am receiving is that the Communications Act, which recently passed through Parliament, does exactly that.