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The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations are secondary legislation in the United Kingdom, outlawing discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services, education and public functions on the grounds of sexual orientation. The legislation is made under powers granted by the Equality Act 2006. Sections 81 and 82 of the Equality Act give the power to make regulations to the Secretary of State and the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, respectively. Regulations made under section 81 cover Great Britain (i.e., England and Wales and Scotland) whereas regulations made under section 82 extend to Northern Ireland. Provisions to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief were already enshrined in the primary Equality Act 2006. However, the Labour Party had not originally wanted to prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians.〔(The Times, 27 February 2005 )〕 The original Equality Bill, therefore, contained no clauses dealing with homophobic discrimination. As the Bill progressed through the House of Lords, amendments by the Lord Alli, succeeded in forcing a Government concession;〔(Lords Hansard, 9 November 2005 )〕 the Labour MP Desmond Turner led a similar revolt in the Commons.〔(Early Day Motion 710 (05-06 Session) )〕 However, it was by then too late to allow the new measures to be added substantively to the Bill. Instead, MPs and Peers agreed to delegate the drafting of regulations to a Government minister. This paved the way for a lengthy public consultation〔(‘Getting Equal’ Consultation Document, 13 March 2006 )〕〔(Government Response, March 2007 )〕 followed by months of Cabinet wrangling〔(The Observer, 15 October 2006 )〕〔(The Guardian, 22 January 2007 )〕 before an agreed text was finally laid before Parliament in spring 2007. The regulations for Great Britain were approved by a vote in both Houses of Parliament. The procedure for the Northern Ireland regulations was specified as a vote by the Northern Ireland Assembly. Given this had been suspended, arrangements for measures that require approval by the Northern Ireland Assembly were subject to the negative procedure (i.e., they could be annulled by a resolution of either House of Parliament). ==Northern Ireland Regulations== The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006〔http://www.opsi.gov.uk/sr/sr2006/20060439.htm〕 were made on 8 November 2006 and laid before Parliament under paragraph 7(3) of the Schedule to the Northern Ireland Act 2000〔http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2000/20000001.htm〕 since the Northern Ireland Assembly was suspended. The regulations came into force on 1 January 2007. Later in January 2007 there was an attempt to pass a motion to pray for an annulment of the regulations in the House of Lords. The resolution failed to pass by a margin of 199 to 68.〔("Gay rights laws facing challenge" ), BBC News, 9 January 2007〕 Regulations covering Great Britain came into force on 30 April 2007. In 2007, the Christian Institute (CI) and others sought a judicial review to overturn the Sexual Orientation Regulations in Northern Ireland. Mr Justice Weatherup rejected the CI's complaint, ruling that while a clause relating to harassment (a clause unique to the Northern Irish version of the Regulations) should be set aside, the remainder of the Regulations were to remain in force. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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