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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Faith schools asked to 'open up' | Faith schools asked to 'open up' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Plans to encourage new state-funded faith schools in England to take up to 25% of pupils from other backgrounds are to be drawn up by the government. | |
| Education Minister Lord Adonis told peers an amendment would be made to the Education and Inspections Bill. | Education Minister Lord Adonis told peers an amendment would be made to the Education and Inspections Bill. |
| But he said it would not be mandatory, adding: "There will be no quotas." | But he said it would not be mandatory, adding: "There will be no quotas." |
| Peers had debated an amendment from Lord Baker to make taking 25% of pupils from other faiths, or of no faith, statutory. He later withdrew it. | |
| The Conservative former education secretary told the House of Lords he saw some faith schools as "divisive", saying: "I just think it's wrong to divide children by religion at the ages of five and 11." | The Conservative former education secretary told the House of Lords he saw some faith schools as "divisive", saying: "I just think it's wrong to divide children by religion at the ages of five and 11." |
| We do not believe it right for there to be a mandatory, national 25% requirement in respect of new faith school Lord Adonis | We do not believe it right for there to be a mandatory, national 25% requirement in respect of new faith school Lord Adonis |
| "And where that has happened, in societies like Northern Ireland, that crop has produced a savage harvest." | "And where that has happened, in societies like Northern Ireland, that crop has produced a savage harvest." |
| Lord Baker withdrew his amendment at the end of the debate, after Lord Adonis's announcement. | Lord Baker withdrew his amendment at the end of the debate, after Lord Adonis's announcement. |
| Lord Adonis said an amendment would be brought forward to give local authorities the power to require new faith schools to offer 25% of places to children of other faiths or no faith. | |
| Where there was a lot of local opposition, parents and others will be able to appeal to the education secretary, he said. | Where there was a lot of local opposition, parents and others will be able to appeal to the education secretary, he said. |
| Government rethink | Government rethink |
| Lord Adonis said: "We do not believe it right for there to be a mandatory, national 25% requirement in respect of new faith schools. | Lord Adonis said: "We do not believe it right for there to be a mandatory, national 25% requirement in respect of new faith schools. |
| "However, we would wish to give local authorities, in their role as guardians of community cohesion, a power to require that new faith schools have admissions policies which include an offer of at least 25% of places on the basis of local preference, not faith preference alone." | "However, we would wish to give local authorities, in their role as guardians of community cohesion, a power to require that new faith schools have admissions policies which include an offer of at least 25% of places on the basis of local preference, not faith preference alone." |
| The government has said the plans could help cut religious and racial tensions. | The government has said the plans could help cut religious and racial tensions. |
| It appears to have been Lord Baker's intention to table a similar amendment that prompted the government's rethink. | It appears to have been Lord Baker's intention to table a similar amendment that prompted the government's rethink. |
| Far from encouraging community cohesion and integration, we will have sown the seeds of division Lord Alton | Far from encouraging community cohesion and integration, we will have sown the seeds of division Lord Alton |
| Lord Alton, an independent peer and Catholic member of the House of Lords, argued against statutory quotas, saying they risked undermining some of England's most successful schools. | Lord Alton, an independent peer and Catholic member of the House of Lords, argued against statutory quotas, saying they risked undermining some of England's most successful schools. |
| He pointed out that for many successful Catholic schools, parents had to join waiting lists for places. | He pointed out that for many successful Catholic schools, parents had to join waiting lists for places. |
| "Even where they had helped raise funds to help build a new school and had been keen members of the Catholic parish, they would be denied a place at the local school," he said. | "Even where they had helped raise funds to help build a new school and had been keen members of the Catholic parish, they would be denied a place at the local school," he said. |
| "Think about the resentment this could easily engender. Far from encouraging community cohesion and integration, we will have sown the seeds of division." | "Think about the resentment this could easily engender. Far from encouraging community cohesion and integration, we will have sown the seeds of division." |
| The Church of England has already said it will set aside a quarter of places at its new schools for people outside the faith. | The Church of England has already said it will set aside a quarter of places at its new schools for people outside the faith. |
| But Catholic, Muslim and Jewish groups oppose plans to impose a quota. | But Catholic, Muslim and Jewish groups oppose plans to impose a quota. |
| On Tuesday, Prime Minister Tony Blair told his monthly press conference faith schools were a "difficult" issue. | On Tuesday, Prime Minister Tony Blair told his monthly press conference faith schools were a "difficult" issue. |
| The plans are expected to be debated in the House of Lords at the end of this month. | The plans are expected to be debated in the House of Lords at the end of this month. |