Gay adoption exemptions have no basis in human rights law

11.52.41am GMT Thu 1st Mar 2007

Evan Harris MP

Commenting on yesterday's report on the Sexual Orientation Regulations by the influential Joint Committee on Human Rights, Liberal Democrat Member of the Committee, Dr Evan Harris MP said: "This report strongly supports the tough approach with very narrow religious exemptions that are found in the Northern Ireland Regulations, and rightly calls for the same regulations to be applied to the rest of the UK."

"In particular, the report makes clear that under human rights law, Catholic adoption agencies have no valid basis for continuing to discriminate against gay people when providing adoption services.

"This report makes it clear to the Government that when they publish the Great Britain regulations, there must be no wider religious exemption than exists in the Northern Ireland Regulations. There must also be complete coverage of all schools, including faith schools."