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Education and Inspections Bill

No, I cannot give way again. I apologise. I know that only a small number of schools interview, but up to the imposition of the code of practice, 80 per cent. of Catholic schools in London used to interview. There is a very good reason for that. Surely it is not fair on Catholic priests, Anglican priests or anybody else that they should become spiritual policemen. We all know what happens in some of the oversubscribed schools. People turn up to churches and try to make themselves known to the parish priest. The parish priest has to sign the chit, having no idea who they are. Is it right that the onus should be put on the priest? Much better that it should be on the school. I am rather sad that the Secretary of State, who understands Catholic education and involves herself in it, should have been party to a mean little device to ban the small number of schools that interview from interviewing. It is said, I know, that those schools interview because they want to cherry-pick middle class parents.