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Education and Inspections Bill

It is a privilege and pleasure to follow that contribution by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mr. Purchase). It is also important to recognise the valuable contributions and interventions made by the hon. Members for Amber Valley (Judy Mallaber), for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) and for Kingswood (Roger Berry), who have pressed the Government on the principle and also on the issue of consultation. I want to talk about the impact that the measure will have, what exactly it does in statute and then say a word or two about the consultation. An e-mail of recent origin was provided to me this week from a young woman who says:"““As a primary school teacher, I have long been aware that I am discriminated against because of my beliefs. So many primaries, perhaps particularly here in the north west, are faith schools that my inability to provide a faith reference has meant that my opportunities for employment are severely restricted. On first moving to the area over 10 years ago I did apply to C of E, Methodist and RC schools even though they stated ‘practising…preferred’, as I thought that it might be a formality. However, it soon became apparent that this was not the case, and now I don’t even bother to apply. At one interview, I was asked if I were a Christian and I replied that I tried to live my life according to values which Christians shared. I was told that this was not enough and that to work in their school, I needed to have Christ in my heart. Needless to say, I did not get the position. It went to someone who ran a Sunday school class in her ‘spare’ time.""Can you imagine the despair I feel at the knowledge that even more faith schools are being planned, so restricting my chance of employment and that of others like me, even further, as time goes on?””" That is the response to my hon. Friend the Member for Southport (Dr. Pugh), who says that this provision does not mandate discrimination. I accept that, but if it permits it, and it has been asked for by the faith schools, some will use it. If even one school discriminates unfairly on the basis of religion in the provision of education in a state school, especially one where salaries are 100 per cent. funded by the state, which is all VA and VC schools, or one where capital costs are only 80, 90 or 100 per cent. funded by the state, which again is all schools, that is not justified. We should oppose it on principle, as the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East says. That is why my party opposed the basic statute. The only argument that the Government made in support of such new discrimination is that it already happens to teachers so we may as well make it more uniform because we are asking non-teachers to be in the classroom. If there is a fundamental problem with the basic legislation—the Liberal Democrats believe that there is, which is why we voted against the provisions in 1998 and voted to delete clauses in 2002—it is right and logical that we should, on a point of principle, oppose this measure. I want to explain to the House what the Bill does because it needs to be made clear. Let us deal first with support staff. Inserting the words ““in Wales”” in section 60(6) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 means that, for a voluntary aided school in England, it will no longer be the case that"““no person shall be disqualified by reason of his religious opinions, or of his attending or omitting to attend religious worship, from being employed for the purposes of the school otherwise than as a teacher." By inserting the words ““in Wales”” the Government have, in a not very clear way and late in the Bill’s passage, removed the protection that existed for all non-teachers. That leaves them open to the full force of section 60. It is important to recognise what section 60 permits schools to do. It says:"““This section applies to a…voluntary school which has a religious character.””" In a voluntary aided school—or in the case of a reserved teacher in a voluntary controlled school—"““(a) preference may be given, in connection with the appointment, remuneration or promotion of teachers at the school, to persons-""(i) whose religious opinions are in accordance with the tenets of the religion or religious denomination specified in relation to the school under section 69(4), or""(ii) who attend religious worship in accordance with those tenets, or""(iii) who give, or are willing to give, religious education at the school in accordance with those tenets; and""(b) regard may be had, in connection with the termination of the employment of any teacher at the school, to any conduct on his part which is incompatible with the precepts, or with the upholding of the tenets, of the religion or religious denomination so specified.””" I would be grateful if the Minister clarified whether that section will apply to new appointments of support staff.