There are serious confusions and contradictions in the position being put forward by the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster over his claim that Catholic adoption agencies will be forced to close if the Equalities Act, due to come into force in April 2007, prohibits them from refusing homosexual couples.

The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cormac Murphy O'Connor, spiritual head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, has said that up to twelve Catholic adoption agencies which handle some of the most vulnerable cases may be closed if they are not given an exemption under new equalities legislation ‚Ä' which seeks to give equal access and fair treatment to lesbian and gay people in the provision of goods and services.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, has called for the government to consider an amnesty for illegal immigrants in the UK.