Yesterday afternoon there was a session on the House of Lords entitled “Schools: Admissions – Question“ and the Minister who was responsible for the questions was Diana Barran and the person who opened the session was Lorely Burt who is the Liberal Democrat person who asked the question “To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child’s recommendation that the United Kingdom should prevent the use of religion as a selection criterion for school admissions in England.” and the response from Diana is below but significantly there was also a call from Janet Whitaker who is a Labour member. Her question and the response from Diana Barran is shown

Baroness Barran: My Lords, the UK is a proud signatory of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, the Government support faith schools’ ability to set faith-based oversubscription criteria. This allows parents to have their children educated in line with their religious beliefs. Faith schools can give priority to applicants on the basis of faith only when they are oversubscribed. Where places are available, they must admit all children who apply.

So here is the question from Janet and the answer from Diana

Baroness Whitaker: How does the Minister respond to these remarks from a parent in Oldham who told Humanists UK that “the 2021 Census found that those of no religion, and those of other faiths than Christianity, now form a majority of the population in our town. So it is a great injustice that one of the best schools in Oldham actively prevents local children from benefiting from its excellent teaching”?

Baroness Barran: If there is a specific example where the noble Baroness believes that the admissions code is not being followed by a school, I will be delighted for her to refer it to me.