Parliament’s role

Joyce McMillan (Perspective, 16 September) argues that there is a need for a new body to solve the problem of religous sectarianism in Scotland.

Surely this is the remit of the old established UK parliament and the newer Scottish Parliament.

If the deep roots of religious sectarianism are to be removed this requires the UK parliament to end the requirement of a new monarch under the Acts of Union to swear to maintain and preserve the “true protestant religion” and presbyterian church government in Scotland.

The Scottish Parliament could also urge the UK parliament to take this step in the context of current proposals for changing Scotland’s relationship with the UK, just as in 1999 it also urged it to remove discrimination against Roman Catholics in the succession to the throne.

Norman Bonney

National Secular Society Council Member for Scotland

Atholl Crescent

Edinburgh