HC Deb 05 February 2004 vol 417 c1053W
Mr. Dodds

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what employees are exempt from fair employment legislation in Northern Ireland; and for what reason they are exempt. [152586]

Mr. Spellar

The Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 as amended by the Fair Employment and Treatment Order (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 provides for the following exemptions in respect of employees:

  1. (i) any employment or occupation as a clergyman or minister of a religious denomination;
  2. (ii) any employment or occupation where the essential nature of the job requires it to be done by a person holding, or not holding a particular religious belief or political opinion.

The legislation recognises that there are particular jobs where it may be necessary for a person carrying out that work to be of a particular religious belief or political opinion.