THE Bishop of Blackburn has backed the establishment of faith schools, saying they are part of the country's development.

Speaking in the House of Lords, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters said those who opposed the setting up of faith schools "come close to saying that some faiths cannot be trusted to run good schools."

The call comes after Lord Tony Clarke's report into last summer's Burnley riots warned against the expansion of faith schools, saying it could encourage segregation.

Lord Clarke's team called for more opportunities to be sought for white and ethnic minority communities to mix.

And he said local authorities should look at ways of encouraging and supporting multi-cultural activities which cut across racial divisions.

The bishop, who chairs the Church of England's Board of Education, was speaking in a debate on the new Education Bill.

He said: "The Government is right to say that what is permitted for Christians and Jews must also be available where need is proved for Muslims and other world faiths. It is part of the on-going development of our land.

"Surely it is better in a society where independent Muslim schools are mushrooming to invite them to come into the maintained sector and be subject to the national curriculum and OFSTED.

"I believe, with many others, that the Government's policy on this is statesmanlike and enlightened in meeting the needs of a pluralist society."

Education Secretary Estelle Morris has said she is committed to allowing more Christian, Islamic and Jewish schools to be built if parents wanted them and the plans have the backing of Prime Minister Tony Blair, himself a devout Christian.

Last year, town hall chiefs in Blackburn said plans were under way for a multi-faith education revolution with the first publicly-funded Islamic schools a possibility by 2003 as a response from demand from the town's ethnic communities.

Plans included a state primary school and high school for Muslims.

The council had ordered extensive consultations and research on how best the needs of Blackburn's ethnic minority parents could be met.

Last year the bishop said the church should stick to its determination to provide Christian education in the face of community tensions in East Lancashire, coupled with the world terror crisis.

Last month teachers claimed they were threatened by a churchman in a row over whether Blackburn should get three new state faith schools.

National Union of Teachers general secretary Doug McEvoy wrote to Blackburn Diocese director of education Canon Peter Ballard seeking clarification of a memo he wrote to members.

The Blackburn with Darwen division of the NUT agreed to oppose council plans to create a state Muslim girls' high school, Muslim primary school and a new Church of England high school in the town at its annual meeting.

The move came even though Canon Ballard wrote before the meeting to union members at St Wilfrid's CE High School in Blackburn saying: "If the motion is passed I am sure guidance will need to be sought by all governors regarding its implication for those NUT members employed in state schools."