Family Forum / Parenting / Adoption / January 2007

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=106742007

Fury at Kelly threat to gay adoptions
BRIAN BRADY AND MURDO MACLEOD
A FRESH constitutional row erupted last night after it emerged that an
English Cabinet minister was preparing to force Scotland to abandon its
groundbreaking law allowing gay couples to adopt children.

Communities and Local Government minister Ruth Kelly is on collision
course with Labour colleagues north and south of the Border over her
attempts to slap a ban on gay people adopting children from
church-based adoption agencies.

MSPs took the step of allowing gay adoption barely a month ago when
they passed the Adoption Act despite furious opposition from
conservatives and church groups.

But Kelly, a devout Catholic, now threatens to overturn the Holyrood
legislation with an amendment to her own hugely controversial proposals
to outlaw sex discrimination in the business and services industry.
Tony Blair is believed to be backing the proposed exemption enabling
faith-based agencies to refuse to place children with gay couples.

Sources close to Kelly last night confirmed she wanted to see all
elements of the Sexual Orientation (Provision of Goods and Services)
Regulations applying throughout the UK, meaning they would take
precedence over the Scottish Parliament's own laws.

The backlash against her proposed exemption began last night, days
before she was due to drop the bombshell amendment on Cabinet
colleagues.

"Whatever one thinks of the issue itself, it is clear Westminster
should not be able to overrule the Scottish Parliament on a subject
where MSPs have made their views perfectly clear," an SNP spokesman
said. "This is another example of why we need more powers for the
Scottish Parliament, to decide our own policies rather than being under
Westminster."

Kelly has been deeply concerned by the widespread opposition to the new
regulations, which are aimed at preventing businesses from
discriminating against homosexuals. Christian, Jewish and Muslim
leaders have condemned the proposals, due to come into force in April,
claiming they will have a damaging impact on charities and faith
schools.

Catholic Church leaders warned they would prefer to shut down their
seven adoption agencies - which found homes for over 200 children last
year - rather than be forced to place children with gay couples.

Opponents of the legislation have also warned the rules would leave bed
and breakfast owners open to legal action if they do not allow same-sex
couples to share a room.

Kelly's proposal is hugely controversial as it clashes directly with
the government's stated aim of stripping away the institutional
prejudices that have prevented homosexuals from taking a full role in
society for generations.

A source close to First Minister Jack McConnell said he was not yet
aware of any plans by Westminster to legislate for Scotland on this
issue. He said: "The Scottish Parliament has voted on this subject and
made its will clear."

Kelly, who is a member of conservative Catholic sect Opus Dei, has
already floated her views to members of the Cabinet's domestic affairs
committee, which is attempting to produce a workable version of the
contentious sexual orientation regulations.

She was due to send a letter outlining her plans for the exemption to
Cabinet last week but, as one senior colleague explained, she "bottled
it".

She is now expected to present her blueprint to colleagues on Thursday,
and provoke a furious debate over the government's commitment to equal
opportunities.

A spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland last night
welcomed suggestions of a reprieve for the adoption agencies.

But Barbara Hudson, director of the British Association of Adoption and
Fostering, said that any adoptive parent was robustly assessed, not
only for the stability of their relationship, but their ability to deal
with discrimination.