The Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Statutory Instruments

2008 No. 3008

Race Relations

The Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Made

19th November 2008

Laid before Parliament

25th November 2008

Coming into force

22nd December 2008

The Lord Privy Seal, who is a Minister designated(1) for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972(2) in relation to discrimination, in exercise of the powers conferred by that section makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2008.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 22nd December 2008.

(3) These Regulations do not extend to Northern Ireland.

Racial discrimination

2.  In section 1(1A) of the Race Relations Act 1976(3) (indirect discrimination) in paragraph (b), after “which puts” insert “or would put”.

Signed by authority of the Lord Privy Seal

Maria Eagle

Parliamentary Secretary,

Government Equalities Office

19th November 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Race Relations Act 1976 (“the Act”) and come into force on 22nd December 2008. They do so in order to give full effect (in Great Britain) to Article 2(2)(b) (indirect discrimination) of Council Directive 2000/43 EC of 29th June 2000 concerning the principle of equal treatment between persons, irrespective of racial or ethnic origin, in the areas of employment (and related matters), social protection, social advantage, education and access to and supply of, goods and services which are available to the public, including housing.

Regulation 2 amends the Directive-based definition of indirect discrimination on grounds of race or ethnic or national origins which applies in those areas covered by the Directive.

An Impact Assessment of the effect these Regulations will have on business and the voluntary sector and a Transposition Note showing how the relevant Article of the Directive has been implemented in Great Britain are available to the public, free of charge, from www.equalities.gov.uk or from the Government Equalities Office, Floor 5, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU. Copies are also available in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

(1)

S.I. 2007/2914.

(2)

1972 c.68.

(3)

1976 c.74. Section 1(1A) was inserted by S.I. 2003/1626.