VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education

Asked by Sir James CleverlyConservativeDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 20 April 2026UIN 124634

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 25, through what mechanism she intends to promote the role of the Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education.

Answered by Georgia Gould

Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACREs) already have a statutory role in advising local authorities on religious education and collective worship.

As set out in Protecting What Matters, the government intends to promote the role of SACREs by supporting improved analysis of their annual reports to better understand the role they play in local communities, including in relation to cohesion. This will help inform future engagement with SACREs and wider sector stakeholders.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim