Work Force Development > Human Resources

Statement from the U.K. department of Communities

U.K. Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly today published new regulations bringing forward practical new protections from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

As with the regulations that came into force in Northern Ireland on 1 January, the GB regulations will protect people from being discriminated against because of their sexual orientation in the provision of goods and services. These regulations come into force on the 30 April.

The regulations and consultation response published today reconfirms the Government’s position set out on 29 January on faith based adoption and fostering agencies. As the Prime Minister said, the Government believes there is no place in society for discrimination but that in the interests of vulnerable children, the regulations will provide for a transition period for faith based adoption and fostering agencies until the end of 2008.

The Regulations will be applicable to a wide range of activities. For instance it would be unlawful to:

• Refuse a same sex couple a double room in a hotel because this might cause offence to other customers;

• Refuse to provide a gift registration service for couples planning a civil partnership where such a service was offered to couples planning a wedding;

• Refuse admission to a bar because someone was not gay;

• Refuse a child’s admission to a school on the grounds of either their or their parents’ sexual orientation;

• Refuse membership of a sports club to an individual on the grounds of their sexual orientation.

The Regulations will now go before both Houses for debate and, subject to Parliamentary approval, come into force on 30 April 2007 the same time as Part 2 of the Equality Act.

Part 2 provides parallel protection against discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of people's religion or belief.

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