In November, the Government published the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 pursuant to its obligations to outlaw discrimination on grounds of religion and belief in employment under the EU Framework Directive 2000/7PS/EC.
The directive also requires legislation outlawing discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, age and disability. The Government has decided that legislation in all of these areas will be introduced by way of ministerial regulations under the European Communities Act 1972. In that way the Government avoids all the aggravation of the parliamentary process, in particular debate and potential challenges to the Government’s line. There may be many positive reasons to avoid the arduous parliamentary process, but one disadvantage is the lack of clarity that comes through informed debate.
