States may restrict non-stun slaughter on welfare grounds, ECJ rules
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020
The EU's highest court has ruled that states subject to its jurisdiction may ban non-stun slaughter on animal welfare grounds. Read More »
MSPs back ‘general principles’ of Scottish hate crime bill
Posted: Thu, 17 Dec 2020
MSPs have approved the 'general principles' of a proposed bill on hate crime, but many have called for stronger free speech protections. Read More »
NSS urges government to explain erasure of Ahmadis in faith review
Posted: Tue, 15 Dec 2020
The NSS has urged the government to explain why it apparently removed Ahmadi Muslims from a list of Muslim denominations in a review. Read More »
Pandemic harming freedom from religion in many countries, says report
Posted: Fri, 11 Dec 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has undermined the rights of people who reject religious norms in many countries, according to the latest Freedom of Thought Report from Humanists International.
This year's edition of the report, an annual assessment on the rights of... Read More »
Amend hate crime bill to protect free speech, Scottish government told
Posted: Thu, 10 Dec 2020
A group of MSPs has called for changes to Scotland's current hate crime bill, after taking evidence from groups including the NSS. Read More »
Religious pressure resisted as Welsh RE reform plans progress
Posted: Wed, 09 Dec 2020
A bill which would replace religious education with a more pluralistic alternative in Wales will proceed to the next parliamentary stage. Read More »
C of E’s control of RE damages subject’s credibility, says study
Posted: Wed, 09 Dec 2020
The C of E's theological approach to RE has come to dominate the subject amid a lack of government leadership, research has found. Read More »
Most Brits don’t consider religious studies important, poll finds
Posted: Thu, 03 Dec 2020
A majority of adults in Britain don't consider it important to teach religious studies at secondary school, according to a new poll. Read More »
NSS: government should revisit review of engagement with faith groups
Posted: Thu, 03 Dec 2020
The NSS has warned that a government review places a disproportionate focus on religious communities' input on matters of public policy. Read More »
Success: free speech clause in hate crime bill to be strengthened
Posted: Tue, 24 Nov 2020
The NSS has welcomed the Scottish government's decision to strengthen a clause on free speech on religion in its current hate crime bill. Read More »
Temporary changes should prompt fairer school admissions, says NSS
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2020
The NSS has said temporary changes to many faith schools' admissions policies should prompt lasting change to make schools more inclusive. Read More »
Don’t let schools push creationism as science, NSS tells government
Posted: Fri, 20 Nov 2020
The NSS has raised the alarm over an independent faith school which claims to teach creationism as science. Read More »
Geoffrey Robertson calls for CoE’s disestablishment in NSS lecture
Posted: Thu, 19 Nov 2020
Leading human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson has called for the C of E's disestablishment in the NSS's 2020 Bradlaugh Lecture. Read More »
NSS urges Foreign Office to take up case of anti-veiling protester
Posted: Wed, 18 Nov 2020
The NSS has urged the government to take up the case of an Iranian activist who faces a long jail term for protesting against mandatory veiling. Read More »
NSS gives evidence to parliamentary committee over hate crime bill
Posted: Wed, 11 Nov 2020
The NSS has said a planned hate crime bill will "intimidate" free speech in evidence to the Scottish parliament's justice committee. Read More »
Catholic Church put its reputation first on child abuse, inquiry finds
Posted: Tue, 10 Nov 2020
The Catholic Church put its reputation before the interests of child abuse survivors, with senior leaders complicit, an inquiry has found. Read More »
Ensure women can access emergency contraception, pharmacy told
Posted: Thu, 05 Nov 2020
A regulator has reminded Lloyds Pharmacy of its guidance after the NSS raised the case of a woman who was refused the morning after pill. Read More »
Religion shouldn’t undermine children’s rights in UK, NSS tells UN
Posted: Thu, 05 Nov 2020
The NSS has urged a United Nations committee to ensure children's rights in the UK are not undermined by religion. Read More »
Out-of-school settings code to be voluntary, government confirms
Posted: Fri, 30 Oct 2020
The NSS has warned that making a safeguarding code for out-of-school educational settings voluntary will leave children's rights at risk. Read More »
Stronger free speech protection needed over hate crime bill, says NSS
Posted: Thu, 29 Oct 2020
The NSS has urged the Scottish government to protect free expression after ministers hinted at possible concessions in a hate crime bill. Read More »
