All-Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Education

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Education is a cross-party group focusing on the provision of religious education in the UK.

Its purpose is to:

'provide a medium through which parliamentarians and organisations with an interest in religious education can discuss the current provision of religious education, press for continuous improvement, promote public understanding and advocate rigorous education for every young person is religious and non-religious world views.'

Background

The first meeting of the All-Party Group on RE was held on 11 June 2012.

The group's purpose is to promote the highest possible standards of religious education (RE) for students, and to prevent good quality RE from being 'squeezed out' of the curriculum, according to John Keast (Chair of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales).

A recent YouGov study showed that 63 per cent of 18-24 year-olds considered religious education relevant and believed it should be taught in schools.

Fifty-three per cent of adults in both England and Wales also say it should remain compulsory and participation in lessons is beneficial to pupils. The APPGRE is designed to help maintain the high standards of religious education in the UK.

People

Officers, September 2015 - March 2016

• Chair - Fiona Bruce - Conservative Party
• Vice-chair - Mary Glindon | Labour Party
• Vice-chair - David Burrowes - Conservative Party
• Secretary - Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon - CB

Contact

Fiona Bruce is the contact person for the group.

Address: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.

Telephone: 020 7219 7042.

Email: fiona.bruce.mp@parliament.uk.

Website

The APPGRE currently has no website in operation.