BAILII [Home] [Databases] [World Law] [Multidatabase Search] [Help] [Feedback]

United Kingdom Statutory Instruments


You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> United Kingdom Statutory Instruments >> The Religion or Belief (Questions and Replies) Order 2007 No. 1038
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/legis/num_reg/2007/20071038.html

[New search] [Help]



STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2007 No. 1038

EQUALITY

RELIGION OR BELIEF DISCRIMINATION

The Religion or Belief (Questions and Replies) Order 2007

  Made 27th March 2007 
  Laid before Parliament 3rd April 2007 
  Coming into force 30th April 2007 

The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 70(2) of the Equality Act 2006[1]—

Citation, commencement and extent
     1. —(1) This Order may be cited as the Religion or Belief (Questions and Replies) Order 2007 and shall come into force on 30th April 2007.

    (2) This Order does not extend to Northern Ireland.

Forms for questions and replies
    
2. The forms set out in Schedules 1 and 2 to this Order are, respectively, prescribed as forms—

Manner of service of questions and replies
    
3. A question may be served on a respondent or potential respondent and a reply may be served on a claimant or potential claimant, whether or not the question or reply is in the prescribed form—



Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government


Phil Woolas
Minister of State Department for Communities and Local Government

27th March 2007



SCHEDULE 1
Article 2


The Equality Act 2006, section 70(2)(a) Form of Questions by Claimant or Potential Claimant


Click here to view Form 1 of 2


SCHEDULE 2
Article 2


The Equality Act 2006, section 70(2)(b) Form of Reply by Respondent or Potential Respondent


Click here to view Form 2 of 2


EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)


Section 70(2) of the Equality Act 2006 ("the Act") requires the Secretary of State to prescribe forms by which a person who has brought or is considering bringing proceedings (a claimant or potential claimant) under Part 2 of the Act (discrimination on grounds of religion or belief) may question the respondent or potential respondent. Article 2 of this Order prescribes these forms. A claimant or potential claimant may use the form set out in Schedule 1 and a respondent or potential respondent may use the form in Schedule 2.

Article 3 provides for the manner of service of questions and replies (whether they are put by means of the prescribed forms or not) for the purposes of section 70 of the Act (information).

Section 70(3) of the Act provides that to be admissible as evidence in proceedings, questions must be put within the period of six months beginning with the date of the act (or last act) to which they relate and in such manner as the Secretary of State may prescribe.

Section 70(4) of the Act provides that a court may draw an inference from a failure to reply to a claimant's or potential claimant's questions (whether put by means of the prescribed form or not) within the period of eight weeks beginning with the date of receipt or from an evasive or equivocal reply.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.


Notes:

[1] 2006 c. 3.back

[2] 1992 c. 52.back



ISBN 978 0 11 076575 4


 © Crown copyright 2007

Prepared 3 April 2007


BAILII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Donate to BAILII
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/legis/num_reg/2007/20071038.html