Government issues notice to Jewish school which taught creationism
Posted: Sat, 16 Jan 2021
The government has taken action against an independent school which taught creationism as science and refused to enter pupils for GCSEs. Read More »
Irish mother and baby homes inflicted a “profound generational wrong”
Posted: Fri, 15 Jan 2021
A report has highlighted the Irish state's decades-long failure to protect vulnerable women and children at church-run institutions. Read More »
Treat religion equally during pandemic, NSS urges human rights body
Posted: Thu, 14 Jan 2021
The NSS has said it's justifiable to restrict communal religious activities during Covid-19 in a submission to a parliamentary committee. Read More »
Law Commission proposals risk chilling free speech, NSS warns
Posted: Fri, 08 Jan 2021
The NSS has warned that Law Commission proposals on hate crime and communications offences in England and Wales could chill free speech. Read More »
Drop charges against ex-Muslim campaigner in Tanzania, says NSS
Posted: Wed, 06 Jan 2021
The NSS has backed a campaign in defence of Zara Kay, who has been arrested in Tanzania and prevented from leaving the country. Read More »
NSS urges even-handed approach to freedom of religion or belief
Posted: Mon, 21 Dec 2020
The NSS has urged the UK's new envoy on freedom of religion or belief to take an even-handed approach to promoting the principle. Read More »
NSS raises case of girl subjected to forced marriage in Pakistan
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020
The NSS has backed a campaign to secure the freedom and safety of a 14-year-old girl who has fled a forced marriage in Pakistan. Read More »
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, a report has found. 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 »