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Church ponders gay adoption legal battle

The Catholic Church in Scotland is threatening to take legal action to block new anti-discrimination laws it claims will force faith-based adoption agencies to close down. The UK government is bringing in new legislation that would make it illegal to discriminate against homosexual couples in the provision of any goods or services, including adoption.

Although the new laws are a matter reserved to Whitehall, it was reported over the weekend that Scottish ministers were lobbying for an opt-out for adoption agencies north of the Border. However, the Scottish Executive yesterday insisted the legislation will go ahead as planned in Scotland.

John Deighan, parliamentary officer for the Catholic Church in Scotland, said members of the Bishop's Conference were so concerned they were seeking legal advice on their rights. "We are getting legal advice on what are the options available to us. Judicial review seems the most obvious one.

"A judicial review is a process where anybody has a right to challenge a decision made by a government or other authority because it is outside their competence.

"What we are looking at is are the UK government stepping over their competence by bringing into law regulations that do away with rights under the European Convention of Human Rights? We are not even being allowed to follow our consciences in saying we think married couples provide a better home."

Full story at The Scotsman.