The Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister has made a Statutory Rule entitled the Sex Discrimination Order 1976 (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. No. 145), which comes into operation on 6 April 2015.

The Rule amends Article 36(1B) of the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 to clarify that the type of services covered by the exception in Articles 36(1B) and 36ZA(c) of the 1976 Order are those related to religious worship and observance that are not normally provided on a commercial basis. The amendment puts beyond doubt that the type of services covered do not come within the scope of Article 4 of Council Directive 2004/113/EC.

The Rule may be purchased from the Stationery Office at www.tsoshop.co.uk or by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0870 600 5522 or viewed online at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr.