Teachers' leaders yesterday called on the new Scottish Executive to end the right of the Roman Catholic Church to veto the appointment of teachers in denominational schools.

The demand came after the Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES) said all teachers applying for a job should demonstrate appropriate "religious belief and character". The service wants all candidates to provide the name of a referee who can testify to their commitment to Catholic schools as well as agreeing to promote the values set out in the Charter for Catholic Schools in Scotland.

The charter states that teachers should have a commitment to uphold the moral teaching, faith tradition and sacramental life of the Catholic Church and to communicate Catholic social teaching.

At the time of its 2005 launch, there were concerns it could stop homosexual teachers or those who supported abortion from working in Catholic schools.

Under the 1980 Education Act, representatives of the Catholic Church can block teachers from employment or promotion in denominational schools on the grounds of their "religious belief and character".

The law was passed to protect the unique ethos of denominational schools, which were set up in Scotland to provide an education for Scotland's 750,000-strong population of Catholics.

However, there is concern the law conflicts with the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects people from discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief.

Some local authorities, particularly those in the west of Scotland such as Glasgow, have not been abiding by the legislation, instead reserving specific posts, such as religious education teachers, for Catholics.

However, an employment tribunal last year restated the Church's right to approve all teachers in its schools, leading to the latest request from SCES.

Peter Quigley, president of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), Scotland's largest teaching union, said no qualified teacher who was registered and had passed a Disclosure Check should be denied a job on "religious or moral grounds".

He said: "It is time for political leaders in Scotland to address the extremely serious implications of this law. How can members of any religious denomination pass judgment on members of another denomination? Why should people justify their beliefs to get employment?"

However, Michael McGrath, director of SCES, argued that the Church was acting with the full support of a law which had been passed to preserve the unique ethos of denominational schools.

Mr McGrath argues the law has not hindered the progress of many teachers who currently work in Catholic schools, but are non-Catholic.

A shortage of Catholic teachers means denominational schools have to take on non-Catholics, particularly in subjects such as maths.

In Catholic primary schools, where religious education is taught, it is thought upwards of 95% of teachers are Catholic, but in some secondary schools up to half of the staff may be non-Catholics.

Mr McGrath said: "What we are trying to do is to ensure approval is given to people whose beliefs and character is appropriate for a Catholic school. That doesn't mean they have to be Catholic, but their beliefs should be suitable so it doesn't contradict with the Catholic schools ethos.

"It would be difficult to deliver Catholic education without staff who subscribe to its aims or who don't know what its aims are."

The EIS ruling council last week passed a motion which seeks to clarify what the implications for teachers are in the light of the tribunal ruling.

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said: "We are aware of the legislative background to the requirement that the Catholic Church approve the appointment of teachers to posts in Catholic schools. We are currently in discussion with the Church about the revision of our own recruitment procedures."