Catholic agencies ordered to accept gay adoption

From Britain's itv.com:

Catholic agencies ordered to accept gay adoption
1.34, Thu Jan 25 2007

Catholic agencies have been ordered to come into line with new rights on gay adoption and have been rebuffed over demands for an opt-out.

Mr Blair is now seeking a "pragmatic solution" over gay adoptions after deciding against allowing the church's adoption agencies to continue turning away same-sex couples.

A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Blair still had to meet "a number of important stakeholders" but was "trying to find a solution that respected the sensitivities of religious communities and supporters of equal rights".

The proposals, which result from last year's Equality Act, are reported have caused a split in the Cabinet, with Mr Blair and Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly - a prominent Catholic - favouring an exemption. Colleagues including the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, are believed to have insisted that the rules should apply equally to everyone.

The regulations, being drafted by Ms Kelly's Communities and Local Government department, must be approved by a vote of both Houses of Parliament before coming into effect.