Equality Bill

I do not much care for the noble Lord’s smear of Catholic adoption agencies that they have somehow been involved in abuse or proselytising. I do not care for that at all. It is my belief that individual religious groups, as a testimony to their faith and beliefs, should be allowed, as part of the historic religious freedoms of this country, to provide a service to whoever wishes to buy it, whether it is the public sector or private individuals seeking to adopt a child or wishing to place their disabled or elderly relation, or adult relation with profound learning difficulties, within a religious community. The Government are totally wrong to take away from our churches and faith groups that historic right. This will come back again and again in the coming months. At the next Parliament, if we have not addressed these issues through amendments like the excellent Amendment 125A tabled by my noble and learned friend, many of us will be pressing for a Bill to protect religious freedoms in this country.