MP Visits Cardinal to Discuss Local Church Schools

1.02.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 1st Oct 2007

Vincent Cable MP went to the home of Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, this week to discuss issues related to Catholic education, particularly in the Borough.

Vincent Cable said that "it was a rare privilege to be able to talk to the head of the Catholic Church in England at some length on a variety of issues, particularly on faith schools and the role of Catholic schools in the Borough.

"The Church is well aware that there is a lot of frustration amongst Catholic parents that while there are several excellent local primary schools locally, there is no secondary school in the state sector. Some parents are happy to use the Borough's other secondary schools but others are insistent on a church-based education and are lost to the Borough's schools. The first port of call is Hounslow but those schools are, themselves, seriously oversubscribed, often necessitating a trip into central London. The problem is not a local of willingness by our local authority to help, but the lack of availability of land. It is for the Church to come forward with a proposal. I made it clear that I would support the principle of Catholic parents having the choice of a local school."