What consideration has the Cabinet Secretary made of the Supreme Court's ruling on JR87 in Northern Ireland and the implications of this ruling for Wales?
I am aware of the Supreme Court judgement on Religious Education and collective worship. That case is very specific to the school system in Northern Ireland and its legislation which is different to that in Wales. We are carefully considering the issues raised in the case and any potential implications for collective worship in Wales.
Collective worship is not part of the Curriculum for Wales and is distinct from the area of religion, values and ethics (RVE). Responsibility for the planning and delivery of collective worship rests with individual schools.
In the context of religious education in schools it is important that the ruling in the Supreme Court judgement found that in the school in question, religious education was not conveyed in a critical, objective and pluralistic manner.
Here in Wales, mandatory RVE is already required to be critical, objective and pluralistic in its delivery and content and must include a range of religious and non-religious philosophical convictions reflecting the diversity of beliefs held in Wales.