An Oxford MP has condemned faith schools for dividing society along religious and racial lines.

Evan Harris, speaking in a Westminster debate, said allowing state schools to select pupils on the basis of their religious beliefs increased segregation.

Concerns about community cohesion were in many cases a "logical consequence" of faith schools' admissions policies, he said.

Given the association of religions with racial groups, religious discrimination could lead to racial discrimination, he told MPs.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon said: "In a number of cases faith schools will increase the segregation that exists as a natural consequence of applying a religious test, which does align on racial grounds as well, in the main, to those who apply."

The MP, an honorary associate of the National Secular Society, argued the state had no obligation to meet every choice or preference when it was "bad for society or at the expense of others".

Dr Harris criticised the law which permitted schools to place a "faith test" on teachers, a law which the Government plans to extend to non-teaching staff.

Although he stopped short of calling for the abolition of faith schools, the MP said he would prefer religion and state were kept separate.

Schools Minister Jim Knight, responding to the debate, said faith schools had long been important to the education system and provided good quality education to children of different faiths.

Andrew Smith, Labour MP for Oxford East, said: "Evidence from school inspectors shows many faith schools have a wider mix of children from different racial backgrounds than non-faith schools, so talk of segregation can give the wrong impression."