ABSTRACT
Part 2 of the Equality Act 2006 introduces a new concept into British law of ‘discrimination on grounds of religion or belief’. Part 2 broadly follows the pattern and wording of established legislation dealing with sex, race and disability discrimination and completes a process which began with the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief ) Regulations 2003 (see Chapter 4). Part 2 of the Act applies to Great Britain, i.e. England, Wales and Scotland but does not apply to Northern Ireland where, because of Northern Ireland’s unique political problems, separate legislation on religious discrimination has existed for some years. Sections 49-51, 59, 61 and 66(2) and (3) of the Act, which deal with religious discrimination in education, are dealt with in Chapter 5.
