§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what changes his Department has proposed to the draft EU Employment Directive to ensure that the religious liberties of individuals and groups are respected. [134770]
§ Ms HodgeThe Employment Directive was agreed by the Council of Ministers on 17 October.
The UK secured a number of amendments to the original proposal with a view to improving its clarity, workability and appropriateness to particular national contexts. The final text outlaws discrimination at work and in training on grounds of a person's religion or belief, and on three other grounds. It also contains a new 651W provision, which allows member states to make special arrangements for organisations whose ethos is based on religion or belief to permit them:
to treat employees differently on the basis of their religion or belief where, because of the ethos of the organisation concerned, religion or belief is a genuine occupational requirement. This would, for example, allow a religious organisation to exercise a preference for members of the same faith when recruiting staff; andto require employees to act in good faith and loyalty towards that ethos.These provisions have been widely welcomed by Churches and other religious organisations. The Government believe that they represent an effective, balanced safeguard for the religious liberties of individuals and groups.