§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals there are to extend antidiscrimination law to cover discrimination in employment and training on grounds of sexual orientation. [93485]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Government are committed to introduce new legislation (implementing the Article 13 Employment Directive) to outlaw unfair discrimination at work and in training on grounds of sexual orientation by December 2003.
Our plans were published on 23 October 2002 in the consultation document 'Equality and Diversity: The Way Ahead'. Consultation ended on 24 January. We will consider responses before laying regulations before Parliament later in the year.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals she has under the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 to allow unmarried partners to leave their pensions to their surviving partner of either sex when they die. [93484]
§ Alan JohnsonWe consulted on proposals to implement the employment directive in the document 'Equality and Diversity: The Way Ahead'. In our view, rules which restrict benefits to opposite sex partners—whether or not they are married to the pension holder—are likely to constitute unlawful discrimination.
Because the directive is 'without prejudice to national laws on marital status and the benefits dependent thereon' however, we proposed that benefits aimed exclusively at married couples would continue to be allowable.
The consultation ended on 24 January. We will consider responses before laying the regulations before Parliament later in the year.