Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007

My Lords, I am sure that noble Lords will be patient, because I, too, have to exercise some freedom of speech. We continued: "““Applying the Regulations to the curriculum would not prevent pupils from being taught as part of their religious education the fact that certain religions view homosexuality as sinful. In our view there is an important difference between this factual information being imparted in a descriptive way as part of a wide-ranging syllabus about different religions, and a curriculum which teaches a particular religion's doctrinal beliefs as if they were objectively true. The latter is likely to lead to unjustifiable discrimination against homosexual pupils””." I suggest that there is nothing illiberal in that. As we understand it, the Government share our values and consider that the regulations would have that effect. I hope that the Minister will confirmthat that is the Government's position. As for the curriculum, which has been mentioned several times, if it were to be unlawfully discriminatory, which it is not, that could be the subject of judicial review proceedings. Lastly—