Education (Assemblies) Bill [HL]

Baroness Falkner of Margravine Excerpts

Friday 7th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Falkner of Margravine (CB)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, but I emphasise that I am speaking in a personal capacity today. I was not listed for this debate because I could not get my name on the list in time, but I have listened with great interest.

I will make only three points. One is that the widening of what is covered in assemblies is attractive on the face of it, but it should be seen alongside the consequential narrowing of the other attributes of the current system, reducing the space to share values within the majority Judeo-Christian tradition and the ability to hold vibrant discussions about minority relations. I speak as a secular Muslim, and I know that those discussions are undertaken very well in the current curriculum, as well as those of other religious values.

My second point is on contested arguments, not least on social media, and disinformation in news, where young people are easily directed to misinformation. The current curriculum offers a safe space for some of these discussions. It is a rare opportunity for people to have some direction on what can be covered, but it still allows for the important value-driven conversations that are not available elsewhere to be imparted for young people to think about. So it is not clear to me how the widening of this space will not increase the ability for greater contestation. The noble Baroness, Lady Bennett of Manor Castle, has just given several examples that I agree are important, but that are easily covered in other curricula. For example, she mentioned the environment, which is well covered in geography.

So, on balance, as a supporter of both Humanists UK and the National Secular Society, I say to the House that two things possibly flow here. One is the danger of making these quite long-term changes in a Private Member’s Bill. The other is that we are well served. Let us have the analysis of which schools are not currently sufficiently wide in their teachings in these assemblies, and come back with more deliberate and considered legislation to see how we may improve that situation.