EU Court of Justice Ruling: Religious Signs Debate

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Department: Home Office

EU Court of Justice Ruling: Religious Signs

Baroness Warsi Excerpts
Wednesday 15th March 2017

(7 years, 7 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl of Courtown Portrait The Earl of Courtown (Con)
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My Lords, it is time for the Conservative Benches.

Baroness Warsi Portrait Baroness Warsi
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My Lords, I welcome the Minister’s very strong Statement and the very strong statements in support of freedom of religion and belief by the Prime Minister. The Minister may be aware of a YouGov poll that was done immediately after this ruling which showed that 42% of Brits would support such a ban in the workplace, or at least employers having the ability to impose such a ban in the workplace. Will my noble friend take back to her colleagues the possibility of further work under the integration strategy to ensure that these kinds of opinion held in the country are pushed back by views within government?

Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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My noble friend makes an encouraging point—that 58% of people would not want such a ban imposed. In my previous job, integration was a strong part of what we did, particularly for communities new to this country or to localities within it. We cannot let that integration work go. I commend all those involved in such work and, since the Church of England is so well represented here today, the work that it has done in particular. Yesterday I talked to the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Durham about the community sponsorship scheme—although we were supposed to be talking about something entirely different—as well as the Church’s work in its Near Neighbours programme.