Equality And Human Rights Commission Application To The European Court Of Human Rights

EDM number 2121 in 2010-12, proposed by Mark Durkan on 11/08/2011.
Categorised under the topics of Courts, Equality and Human rights.

That this House welcomes the application by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to intervene in four cases at the European Court of Human Rights which involve alleged religious discrimination in the workplace; notes the Commission's concern that UK and European Courts have created a body of confusing and contradictory case law making it difficult for employers to know what they should be doing to protect people from religion- or belief-based discrimination; acknowledges its hope that it is possible to accommodate expression of religion alongside the rights of people who are not religious and the needs of business; further notes that the Commission thinks that there is a need for clearer legal principles to help the courts consider what is and what is not justifiable in such cases, which might help to resolve differences without resorting to legal action and that it hopes to propose ideas on reasonable accommodations in that context; recognises that the Commission is acting under its statutory duty in section 30 of the Equality Act 2010 and that it would act as an independent party providing expert advice to the court; and stresses that any clarification or development of employment case law must not threaten any rights to goods or services which all citizens should enjoy from all providers - commercial, voluntary or public sector - free from any discrimination on any grounds including the religious or conscientious belief of any employee.

This motion has been signed by a total of 2 MPs.