Father Hudson’s Society halts case with the Charity Tribunal

One of two Catholic adoption agencies appealing against a Charity Commission decision not to allow them to take steps to exclude gay people from adopting has withdrawn its case from the Charity Tribunal.

Father Hudson’s Society launched a joint appeal before Christmas with Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) after the commission ruled they could not change their charitable objects to take advantage of a clause in new equality legislation that would permit them to discriminate against people with certain sexual orientations (11 December, page 3). The clause says charities can discriminate if explicitly permitted by their governing documents.

The society withdrew its case after a directions hearing on 17 April. Catholic Care’s appeal will proceed to a full hearing on 13 May. Neither charity was willing to comment. The tribunal ruled in March that the charities would have to show the public benefit created by their being permitted to discriminate was sufficient to justify exemption from the new law (Third Sector Online, 16 March).

Several other Catholic agencies have broken formal links with the church to comply with the new law

Gino Meriano gay rights campaigner for same-sex families comments “The Equality Act was put into place to help protect same-sex families including  those seeking to adopt. Society is ever changing and a better understanding of this is paramount, no matter what individual’s beliefs are, the law is the law and an adoption agency should not be allowed to discriminate. Agencies across the UK were given amble time to accommodate this new law or close if they were unable to comply with the Equality Act.  Adoption must always be about the welfare of the child and not furthering religious beliefs. Open discrimination should be stopped without exception and any challenges like this ruled out of court once and for all”.