Age of consent consultation - URGENT

It has been discovered that the Scottish Government has been holding an extremely low key consultation on radical plans for sweeping changes to the age of consent law.

The deadline for responding to the consultation is tomorrow (Friday, 14 March).

• For a Christian Institute briefing that sets out the proposals, click on this link:http://www.christian.org.uk/issues/2008/family/aocscot/briefing_mar08.html
• For contact details and tips for writing, click on this link:http://www.christian.org.uk/issues/2008/family/aocscot/tips_mar08.html

The consultation is a response to a Scottish Law Commission report published in December 2007.

The Commission's recommendations include

• legalising sex between children both aged 13 to 15.
• The proposals will also permit those over 16 to engage in certain forms of sexual activity with someone no more than two years younger.
• Under the plans a 15 year-old could legally engage in homosexual activity with a 13 year-old boy; a 15-year-old boy could have sex with a girl aged 13.

Please respond to this consultation.

It is vital that as many Christians as possible object to these proposals.

Claim of Religious Discrimination to be Heard

A Roman Catholic couple who accused Strathclyde Police of religious discrimination after categorising married couples and civil partners in the same group have won the first round of their employment tribunal.

Lucille and Frank Mc-Quade, from Motherwell, complained after their status as civilian employees of the force was changed from "married" to "married/civil partnership" in personnel records.

The couple, who have been married for 26 years, told the Glasgow tribunal last October they held religious beliefs regarding the sanctity of marriage and found the description "married/civil partnership" offensive, causing injury to their feelings as married persons. They argued this change to their "true legal and religious status" amounted to sex discrimination and religious discrimination.

Strathclyde Joint Police Board denied the McQuades suffered any detriment but the Employment Tribunal has ruled that the case should proceed.

• Full story in The Herald
• Full story in The Scotsman
• Original story