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Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2005

My Lords, I rise today to join in the general approbation for this order. I identify with a lot of the remarks made by the noble Baroness, Lady Harris of Richmond. This is a good order, and it is well accepted. We are pleased about it in the group to which I belong, and we think it will make an impact. There are a number of little issues which the Minister might helpfully explain to us. As detailed in the Explanatory Memorandum for the order in relation to duties placed upon district councils and their members, certain matters are excluded from the remit of Section 15(b). These include appointments to offices or committees. Will the Minister expand on this and clarify why these matters are exempt? Will the Minister also clarify in what circumstances can discrimination by public authorities be justified, as prescribed in paragraph 20 of the Explanatory Memorandum? Article 14 of the order, which refers to discrimination in relation to theletting of premises, includes an exemption relating to small dwellings, whereby a landlord or manager may justify less favourable treatment or a failure to take reasonable steps. What circumstances would be considered justifiable? Article 14, dealing with discrimination in relation to the letting of premises, requires the landlord or manager to ““take reasonable steps””. How is that defined? Section 21D(4)(c) allows public authorities an exemption from equal treatment of disabled persons if the case would involve substantial extra cost. Does the Minister have any plans to provide a transparent system which requires public authorities to publish details of how and when they use this exemption? Article 18 removes the requirement that a mental illness ““must be clinically well-recognised”” before it can satisfy the mental impairment requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. How does the Minister propose to monitor the application of this liberalisation of the requirement? With those three questions, I have no hesitation in supporting the order.