Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Lord Bannside (Democratic Unionist Party). It was answered on Tuesday, 12 December 2006 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Grand Committee.

Sexual Orientation Discrimination Legislation

Question: Surely the Minister is aware that the period for a playback forthe people of Northern Ireland was not even within the reaches of that set by the Government. Why is that? The Government say that we should have a certain number of weeks or months to find out our views on such matters, but, on this very issue, they have cut that time. What is more, there is grave concern among all the Churches of Northern Ireland—it is not often that they all agree, but on this they do—that this is a matter of such momentum and will have such an influence on people that consideration of it should at least run parallel with the time given to it in the rest of the United Kingdom and that it should not be brought forward, which is what the Minister has done.

Answer: Section 62 of the Equality Act 2006has given my Department the power to make the regulations, and that Act was passed by both Houses of Parliament. We undertook a consultation between29 July and 28 September, during which we received extensive responses. In the light of that consultation, we have made some changes to the regulations. We have tabled them before the House and, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, he and members of his party have prayed against them. I expect a debate not only in the House of Commons, but in the other place in due course, when there will be an opportunity to discuss the matter. There will be an opportunity to decide accordingly in principle at that stage.

Secondary information