§ Mr. David YoungTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to extend the ambit of the offence of blasphemy to include non-Christian religions.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answer 19 December 1988]: In its "Report on Offences against Religion and Public Worship", published in 1985, the Law Commission recommended by a majority that the existing common law offence of blasphemy should be abolished. A minority took the view that the existing offence should be repealed and replaced with a criminal offence which applied to all religions. This view was supported by the bishop of London's group on blasphemy, which reported earlier this year. There is therefore no consensus for reform in this difficult and sensitive area of the law and we have no present plans for legislation.