§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those organisations which responded to the consultative letter issued in July 1987 on collective worship in schools; how many of these organisations expressed a view on whether the requirement to take part in collective worship should be relaxed in the case of pupils over the school leaving age; and how many of those organisations who expressed a view on this issue(a) favoured such a change and (b) were opposed to it.
§ Mrs. RumboldOf the 34 bodies formally consulted, 28 responded. A list of those responding is given in the table. Fourteen expressed a view on the application of the law to pupils above compulsory school age. Five expressed support for a change in the law, so that the statutory requirement would no longer apply to pupils above the compulsory school age. Nine were against any change in the law. Copies of the responses are held in the Library.
List of bodies which responded to consultation letter
- Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association
- Association of Advisers and Inspectors of Religious Education
- Association of Christian Teachers
- Association of County Councils
- Association of Metropolitan Authorities
- The Bishops' Conference
- Board of Education of the General Synod of the Church of England
- British Council of Churches
- Catholic Education Council
- Chief Rabbi
- Christian Education Movement
- Free Church Federal Council
- Islamic Cultural Centre
- Methodist Board of Education
- Muslim Education Trust
- National Association of Governors and Managers of Schools
- National Association of Head Teachers
- National Association of Inspectors and Educational Advisers
- National Association for Primary Education
- National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers
- National Council of Hindu Organisations
- National Muslim Education Council for the United Kingdom
210 - National Union of Teachers
- Professional Association of Teachers
- Professional Council for Religious Education
- Religious Education Council
- Sikh Education Council
- Society of Education Officers