§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on tackling religious discrimination. [951]
§ Angela EagleThe Government are tackling religious discrimination in a number of ways, taking account of the two research reports on religious discrimination published earlier this year and responses to them.
82WThe Government are committed to implementing the Article 13 European Community Employment Directive outlawing discrimination in employment and training on grounds that include religion by 2 December 2003. The Government will consult on this and related good practice guidance in due course.
The Census Act 1921 was amended to include a question on religious identity in this year's census. This will provide central and local government with reliable data on our faith communities, which will help inform the planning and delivery of services sensitive to the needs of faith communities. The Human Rights Act 1998 also provides protection against religious discrimination.
But legislation alone is not enough, as the research participants recognised. They favoured a comprehensive approach in which education, training and a greater effort to teach more in schools about the diversity of faith would all play an important part. We are looking at how best to do this.
The research reports will help not only to inform policy, but to raise awareness of people's experience of religious discrimination, and of the sensitive and sometimes complex issues involved within the options for tackling it.