HC Deb 05 November 2001 vol 374 cc42-3W
Mr. Hoban

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the criteria by which faith schools are determined to be inclusive. [11461]

Mr. Timms

[holding answer 30 October 2001]: The White Paper, "schools: Achieving Success" said that we want faith schools that come into the maintained sector to add to the inclusiveness and diversity of the school system and to be ready to work with schools of other faiths and those that do not have a religious character. We welcomed the recommendation in Lord Dearing's report to the Archbishops Council that Church of England schools should serve the whole community, not confining admission to Anglicans. We have not published criteria for inclusiveness.