Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the discussions which he has had with the church authorities regarding the proposals in the Education (Scotland) Bill relating to the provision of religious instruction in schools.
§ Mr. RossRepresentatives of the Education Committee of the Church of Scotland discussed the proposal to repeal subsection (2) of Section 9 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1962, with officers of my Department on 20th March. They accepted the Department's assurances that the repeal of this obsolete provision would in no way jeopardise the statutory safeguards, in Section 8 of the Act, for the continuance of religious observance and instruction in Scottish schools. No further meeting has been held with the Roman Catholic authorities since the meeting of 7th February at which they expressed reservations about the proposed repeal.