HC Deb 14 January 2004 vol 416 c781W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the volunteering sector will be covered by the Employment Directive. [146425]

Mr. Sutcliffe

[holding answer 12 January 2004]: The European Employment Directive applies to employment and vocational training. While it does not cover unpaid volunteers, therefore, people employed in the voluntary sector enjoy the same rights under it as those employed in the private and public sectors.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it will be possible to claim discrimination on more than one ground under the Employment Directive. [146426]

Mr. Sutcliffe

[holding answer 12 January 2004]: Yes. The grounds covered by this Directive are not mutually exclusive. As with other employment discrimination legislation, parties covered by the Employment Directive will be able to claim discrimination on any of the grounds on which they believe they have been discriminated.