§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent reports he has received of homophobic bullying in schools; and if he will make a statement. [108313]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 3 February 2000]: In March 1998 we received from Stonewall a copy of the report "Playing it Safe", which they commissioned with the Terrence Higgins Trust. This contains, among other things, evidence and recommendations on homophobic-related bullying. And in October 1998 the noble Lord Tope's unstarred question in the Other Place about bullying in secondary schools focused to a large extent on the problem of homophobic bullying.
We attach a high priority to helping schools prevent and combat bullying in whatever form—be it racial, or as a result of a child's appearance, behaviour or special needs, or related to sexual orientation.