Faith-Based Welfare Poses Discrimination Issues In Britain

Britain is now struggling with issues similar to those in the U.S. on the offering of social services by faith-based organizations. Britain's National Secular Society reports today that it has asked Parliament's Human Rights Committee to recommend clarifying the Human Rights Act, Sec. 6, to ensure that when a public body delegates social service functions to a private organization, protections against discrimination based on religious belief or sexual orientation still apply. Both Labour and Conservatives in Britain are promoting faith-based welfare programs.