The BHA has today submitted written evidence to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee for their inquiry into the government’s plans on localism. The government aims to increase involvement of citizens at local level by decentralising power to communities and local authorities. The inquiry asked specifically about the aspects of the government’s plans which will mean an increase in the number of public services that are run by independent providers from the voluntary and private sectors, rather than by public authorities directly.
The BHA’s submission sought to bring up the problems which can be caused when religious organisations run services on behalf of public authorities. Specialist exemptions in the Equality Act allow such organisations to discriminate in ways which others cannot.
BHA Campaigns Officer, Pepper Harow, commented, ‘The government is rolling out this localism agenda and reforming public services without a full recognition of the risks to equality. As well as legal issues there are also ideological problems with groups based on belief systems running services that should be accessible for all. Some groups may wish to proselytise or want to target their services to people of a specific belief. This may mean that local authorities find themselves with several different organisations running the same service for different sections of the community, divided along religious lines.’
She continued, ‘This hardly reflects the need for spending cuts and austerity that the localism agenda is supposed to encourage, or help communities work together to engage everyone in the ‘Big Society’. Secular, shared services that do not discriminate and are open to all would make much more of a contribution to community empowerment than divisive and discriminatory practices.’
Notes
For more information or comment please contact Pepper Harow on 02074624992
Read more about the BHA’s work on Services and Communities.
The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.