Policy Hub
On 28 November 2007, the British Humanist Association (BHA) published a report (Quality and equality: human rights, public services and religious organisations ) which examines the contracting out of public services to religious organisations. It argues that proposed public service reforms risk discrimination against employees and service users and negative effects on social cohesion.
The report says that there is no evidence that religious organisations offer any distinctive benefits to the supply and provision of public services and actually that the Government’s clear policy objective of expanding the role of religious organisations within the public services runs the risk of lowering standards, increasing inequalities, introducing ‘parallel services’ and damaging social cohesion.
The report calls for secular and inclusive services and recommends a more transparent tendering process for religious organisations contracted into public service supply and delivery.
Quality and equality: human Rights, Public Services and Religious Organisations