Schools: Religious Education

Lord Harrison Excerpts

Thursday 30th June 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

The case was on a very narrow, technical point, but the noble Lord may be pleased to hear that all six GCSE-awarding bodies’ GCSE content includes development of students’ understanding of wider beliefs, including a non-religious world view. The judge made clear that there was no challenge to the content of the GCSE and no requirement in domestic or human rights law to give equal air time to all shades of belief. We do not accept the wider interpretation that Dr Juss places on the case.

[Lord Harrison (Lab)]

Do the Government not recognise that their advice to schools may in itself contradict the law, as just explained by the noble Lord, Lord Taverne?

[Lord Nash]

We issued clear guidance in December on this matter and we do not recognise that point.