Racial and Religious Hatred Bill

On Second Reading, I asked the Home Secretary a question concerning statements in the Bible and in the confessions of faith of all the Churches telling against various other beliefs. I asked:"““Is he telling us that those statements will be deemed to be not statements of hatred, but the personal confessions of those Churches?""The House begins its sittings with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. Parts of the Book of Common Prayer, such as the 39 Articles, have strong statements to make. Would those statements be considered as an incitement to hatred?””—[Official Report, 21 June 2005; Vol. 435, c.671.]" He said: ““No, they would not.”” Surely the way to safeguard that in the Bill would be to accept the hon. Gentleman’s new clause, but there is nothing in the Bill to safeguard the promise made. The Minister replying to the debate knows well that one cannot go into a court and say, ““When the Bill passed through the House of Commons the Minister said this””, for the judge would laugh and say, ““Sit down””.