NSS in Parliament
The National Secular Society lobbies hard in both the UK and European Parliament, led by Keith Porteous Wood. Below are some examples of our impact in Europe, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Evidence to Justice Committee on inquiry into the work of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
Our evidence focused on the serious implications of the CPS's role in relation to the Channel 4 Dispatches programme "Undercover Mosque" broadcast in January 2007.
6 August 2009Equality Bill (second reading) Evan Harris MP
NSS Honorary Associate Evan Harris MP makes his contribution to the Equality Bill debate.
11 May 2009“Undercover Mosque” – House of Lords Debate
Following extensive campaigning by the NSS a debate was held in the House of Lords investigating the West Midlands Police and Criminal Prosecution Service(CPS) handling of the failed prosecution of Channel 4 following its Dispatches programme Undercover Mosque.
20 April 2009Commons Debate: Christianity in public life
Reference was made to the NSS attending the Conservative Party Conference representing how secularists are beginning to come into the public sphere to make their argument. (From Column 105WH)
11 March 2009Collective Worship and Religious Education - withdrawal by pupils themselves September 2008
Written evidence to the Chair of Human Rights Joint Committee on Collective Worship and Religious Education and the right to withdrawal by pupils themselves.
12 September 2008Evidence to House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee July 2008
Evidence given by the NSS to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on threats to freedom of expression, published in the Ninth Report of Session 2007-08 - Human Rights Annual Report 2007, published 20 July 2008.
Evidence to Communities & Local Government Committee, July 2008
Evidence given by the NSS to the Communities and Local Government Committee. Tenth Report of Session 2007-08 - Community Cohesion and Migration, published July 16 2008.
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill (Blasphemy) 05 March 2008 (PDF, 261 Kb)Lords debate on the clause to abolish Blasphemy laws on 5 March 2008
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill (Blasphemy) 06 May 2008 (PDF, 235 Kb)Commons debate on the amendment to abolish the Blasphemy laws. May 6, 2008. This was the final Commons debate before the Bill received Royal Assent. The Blasphemy laws are now abolished.
Evan Harris MP
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, 09 Jan 2008
Evan Harris MP
The repeal of Britain's ancient law of blasphemous libel moved closer when a cross-party amendment was tabled for debate in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill. It immediately attracted the parliamentary support of senior Labour back-benchers, religious and secular MPs. the amendment was tabled by Evan Harris MP, an Honorary Associate of the NSS. (See column 442)Working Group on Separation of Religion and Politics, 05 June 2007
Keith Porteous Wood
NSS in exchange with the EU President Hans Gert Pöttering at EU Parliament’s All Party Working Group on Separation of Religion and Politics.The Position in British Society of Those Who Profess No Religion, 19 April 2007.
Lord Harrison
Debate called for by Lord Harrison in the House of Lords on 19 April 2007.NSS submission to Joint Committee On Human Rights on collective worship in schools, June 2006.
Letter from the National Secular Society to Joint Committee On Human Rights re: Mandatory Collective Worship - Enforcement and Human Rights Concerns. The letter was published as Appendix 2 in the Twenty-Fifth Report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights
Racial & Religious Hatred Bill (A)
Lord Lester, October, 2005
Racial and Religious Hatred Bill (B)
Bishop of Southwell, October, 2005
Racial and Religious Hatred Bill (C)
Lady Cox & Lady Turner
Report of Home Affairs Committee on Incitement to Religous Hatred
Report of Home Affairs Committee Sixth Report on NSS submission on proposed laws on Incitement to Religious Hatred (See qu 219) 22 March 2005
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Home Affairs Committee’s Sixth Report dated 22 March 2005 – NSS submission/stance referred to in questions: Qu 127
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Home Affairs Committee’s Sixth Report dated 22 March 2005 – NSS submission/stance referred to in questions: Qu 129
House of Commons Hansard Debates for 7 Feb 2005 (pt 18)
Brian Sedgemore (Hackney, South and Shoreditch) (Lab).
Lords Hansard text for 3 Feb 2005 (250203-46)
Lord Wedderburn of Charlton and Baroness Turner of Camden in debate in the House of Lords.
Submission to Dept of Constitutional Affairs on voting methods
Submission to Dept of Constitutional Affairs on voting methods and religion in party politics 18 Jan 2005
Terrorism and Community Relations: Written Evidence (14 December 2004)
Terrorism and Community Relations: Written Evidence
Evidence to Home Affairs Committee on Incitement to Religious Hatred
Evidence to Home Affairs Committee (October 2004) on proposed laws on Incitement to Religious Hatred, Discrimination on Grounds of Religion and also on the existing laws concerning blasphemy and religiously aggravated sentences.
Joint Committee on the Draft Charities Bill
Joint Committee on the Draft Charities Bill - Written Evidence 15 September 2004. NSS Submission
Evidence to Joint Committee on the Draft Charities Bill
Several other references to the Society’s publications also taken as evidence to the Joint Committee on the Draft Charities Bill 19 August 2004
Submission to Education and Skills Committee (on discrimination in school transport): Third Report 28 June 2004.
