HC Deb 12 May 1993 vol 224 cc509-11W
Mr. Trimble

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the actions under(a) fair employment legislation and (b) equal opportunities legislation, which have been successfully defended by (i) Government Departments, (ii) education boards, (iii) health boards, (iv) local authorities and (v) other public bodies, indicating in each case whether the unsuccessful applicant was supported by the Fair Employment Agency or Fair Employment Commission or Equal Opportunities Commission and the costs incurred by the successful respondent in cases where there was such support.

Mr. Atkins

Information on discrimination legislation prior to I readily available and could be disproportionate cost.

Individual complaints of religious discrimination before 1 January 1990 were brought under the procedure in the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1976 and were not defended as such or prosecuted by either party; instead the Fair Employment Agency acted as an impartial investigator. Under the 1976 Act a total of 593 findings were made on foot of individual complaints, of which 496 were findings of no unlawful discrimination. Details as to the respondent in these cases could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Information relating to actions brought since 1 January 1990 under the Fair Employment (NI) Act and the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1976 is as follows:

Actions successfully defended under Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Act 1976
Applicant Respondent EOC supported
(i) Government Departments
Burnim Northern Ireland Civil Service No
Cowley Inland Revenue No
(ii) Education and library boards
Fenton Belfast education and library board Yes
Beanie Belfast education and library board Yes
Lisk North Eastern education and library board Yes
Hood South Eastern education and library board No
(iii) Health and social services boards
McNearney Eastern health and social services board No
Young Eastern health and social services board No
Jess Eastern health and social services board Yes
(iv) Local authorities
McKinney Belfast city council Yes
McDonald Newtownabbey borough council Yes
Moore Lisburn borough council No
Kemp Belfast county council No
(v) Other public bodies
Devlin Northern Ireland Electricity No

No information is available about the costs incurred by respondents in successfully defending cases.