Education and Inspection Bill

Current status: action, please: contact MPs and Peers.
See here for a good article by Archbishop Nichols in the Telegraph.

Daily Telegraph report

Catholic Education Service press release condemning the Bill

From CFNews:
The Education and Inspection Bill reaches its Third reading in the Lords on October 30th. That is the very last chance of influencing its contents. It came from the Commons religiously neutral but has been so amended in the unelected chamber that it is now a very grave attack on Catholic schools. Very few MPs are aware of its changes. The Government has gone back on the assurances it had given through Lord Adonis.



The amended Bill states that:

(a) Local authorities will decide on the Catholic/non Catholic admission ratio in conformity with their perceived requirement of social cohesion.
(b) This will be subject to appeal to the Government in certain circumstances
(c) Admission policies will be looked at again and parental first choice will not receive preference.
(d) New statements made this week suggest that there will be new controls over what is taught and by whom in socially sensitive areas
(e) This will apply to all new schools.
(f) There will be a revised inspection code.

There is no suggestion that our existing schools will radically alter but it is manifestly unfair, costly and is an insult to the Catholics of this country. Consider the impact on families, parishes and the schools you know. The bishops have been misled and pushed aside so it is now down to us the laity to do what we can. What can we do? We can raise our voices!

1 Write, phone (020 7219 3000) , or email your MP. If conservative or Lib Dem ask him/her to ask their party not to support this. If Labour, to withdraw the amendment itself which was only first outlined by Lord Adonis in his speech on 17/01/06

2 Write to the Prime Minster at Parliament, SW1A 1AA

3 Write to your local paper or use any other media contact you have

4 Talk to your parish priest of teachers you know

5 Talk or write to local county councillors

6 Pray [CFNews]