Stephen Williams MP welcomes action on teaching of creationism

6.14.40pm GMT Wed 13th Dec 2006

Liberal Democrat MP for Bristol West Stephen Williams, has welcomed the government announcement that they are to write to all schools instructing them not to teach creationism in science lessons. The move comes after a concerted campaign of written parliamentary questions by Stephen Williams and two of his Lib Dem colleagues, Evan Harris MP and Phil Willis MP.

Concern was raised after a privately run group, Truth in Science, sent out information packs to all schools designed to help them teach "Intelligent Design" alongside Darwinism in science lessons.

Stephen Williams said "It is deeply concerning that the government took so long to act, but I am very glad that they now have. Creationism has its place in Religious Education lessons but cannot and should not be presented as a valid scientific theory, since it is belief based, not evidence based. The whole basis upon which we train new scientists surrounds their ability to develop scientific hypotheses and test them in a repeatable fashion. This risks being undermined if they are taught theories for which no scientific evidence can be presented. Religious theory does not necessarily contradict scientific theory, but it should under no circumstances be seen as the same thing."