The Secretary of State may appoint such persons as he thinks fit to advise or assist him in connection with matters relating to the employment of disabled persons and persons who have had a disability.

Persons may be appointed by the Secretary of State to act generally or in relation to a particular area or locality.

The Secretary of State may pay to any person appointed under this section such allowances and compensation for loss of earnings as he considers appropriate.

The approval of the Treasury is required for any payment under this section.

In subsection (1) “employment” includes self-employment.

At any time before the coming into force of an order under paragraph (b) of subsection (6), section 17 of the Act of 1944 shall have effect as if in subsection (1), after “disabled persons” in each case there were inserted “, and persons who have had a disability,” and as if at the end of the section there were added—

At any time before the coming into force of an order under paragraph (a)(i) or (b) of subsection (6), section 16 of the M3Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (which extends the functions of the national advisory council) shall have effect as if after “disabled persons” in each case there were inserted “ , and persons who have had a disability, ” and as if at the end of the section there were added—

Section 15 of the M4Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 (which gives the Secretary of State power to make arrangements for the provision of supported employment) is amended as set out in subsections (2) to (5).

In subsection (2), for the words from “any of one or more companies” to “so required and prohibited” substitute “ any company, association or body ”.

After subsection (2) insert—

After subsection (5) insert—

The provisions of section 16 (preference to be given under section 15 of that Act to ex-service men and women) shall become subsection (1) of that section and at the end insert—

Any provision of subordinate legislation in which “disabled person” is defined by reference to the Act of 1944 shall be construed as if that expression had the same meaning as in this Act.

Subsection (8) does not prevent the further amendment of any such provision by subordinate legislation.

Subsections (1) and (2) have effect subject to section 64A.

The provisions of Parts II to IV of the 1947 Act apply to proceedings against the Crown under this Act as they apply to Crown proceedings in England and Wales; but section 20 of that Act (removal of proceedings from county court to High Court) does not apply.

The provisions of Part V of the 1947 Act apply to proceedings against the Crown under this Act as they apply to proceedings in Scotland which by virtue of that Part are treated as civil proceedings by or against the Crown; but the proviso to section 44 of that Act (removal of proceedings from the sheriff court to the Court of Session) does not apply.

F5Part II does not apply to service as a member of a fire brigade who is or may be required by his terms of service to engage in fire fighting.

F6It is hereby declared (for the avoidance of doubt) thatPart II does not apply to service in any of the naval, military or air forces of the Crown.

In this section—

• “the 1947 Act” means the M5Crown Proceedings Act 1947;

• F7“British Transport Police” means the constables appointed, or deemed to have been appointed, under section 53 of the M16British Transport Commission Act 1949;

• “Crown proceedings” means proceedings which, by virtue of section 23 of the 1947 Act, are treated for the purposes of Part II of that Act as civil proceedings by or against the Crown;

• F36“fire brigade” means a fire brigade maintained in pursuance of the M17Fire Services Act 1947;

• F36“Ministry of Defence Police” means the force established under section 1 of the M18Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987;

• F36“prison officer” means a person who is a prison officer within the meaning of section 127 of the M19Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, apart from those who are custody officers within the meaning of Part I of that Act;

• F8“Royal Parks Constabulary” means the park constables appointed under the M20Parks Regulation Act 1872;

• “service for purposes of a Minister of the Crown or government department” does not include service in any office for the time being mentioned in Schedule 2 (Ministerial offices) to the M6House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975;

• “statutory body” means a body set up by or under an enactment;

• “statutory office” means an office so set up; F9and

• “United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary” means the special constables appointed under section 3 of the M21Special Constables Act 1923 on the nomination of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

Subsections (1) and (2) apply to a police cadet and appointment as a police cadet as they apply to a constable and the office of constable.

Subject to subsection (8), in this section—

In relation to a constable of a force who is not under the direction and control of the chief officer of police for that force, references in this section to the chief officer of police are references to the chief officer of the force under whose direction and control he is, and references in this section to the police authority are references to the relevant police authority for that force.

A police authority may make arrangements for the legal representation of any person under the direction and control of the chief officer of police in any proceedings mentioned in subsection (4).

Subject to subsection (8), in this section –

Nothing in subsections (3) to (6) applies in relation to the police.

In relation to a constable of a force who is not under the direction and control of the chief officer of police for that force, references in this section to the chief officer of police are references to the chief officer of the force under whose direction and control he is, and references in this section to the police authority are references to the relevant police authority for that force.

This Act applies to an act done by or for purposes of the House of Lords or the House of Commons as it applies to an act done by a private person.

For the purposes of the application of Part II in relation to the House of Commons, the Corporate Officer of that House shall be treated as the employer of a person who is (or would be) a relevant member of the House of Commons staff for the purposes of F19section 195 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

Where the service in question is access to and use of any place in the Palace of Westminster which members of the public are permitted to enter, the Corporate Officers of both Houses jointly are the provider of that service.

Nothing in any rule of law or the law or practice of Parliament prevents proceedings being instituted before an F20employment tribunal under Part II or before any court under Part III.

Subject to regulations under subsection (3), this section applies to any appointment made by a Minister of the Crown or government department to an office or post where Part II does not apply in relation to the appointment.

In making the appointment, and in making arrangements for determining to whom the office or post should be offered, the Minister of the Crown or government department shall not act in a way which would contravene Part II if he or the department were the employer for the purposes of this Act.

Regulations may provide for this section not to apply to such appointments as may be prescribed.

Any power under this Act to make regulations or orders shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.

Any such power may be exercised to make different provision for different cases, including different provision for different areas or localities.

No order shall be made under section 50(3) unless a draft of the statutory instrument containing the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.

Any other statutory instrument made under this Act, other than one made under section 3(9), F2153A(6)(a) or 70(3), shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Subsection (1) does not require an order under section 43 which applies only to a specified vehicle, or to vehicles of a specified person, to be made by statutory instrument but such an order shall be as capable of being amended or revoked as an order which is made by statutory instrument.

Nothing in section 34(4), 40(6) or 46(5) affects the powers conferred by subsections (2) and (3).

Any power under this Act to make regulations or orders shall be exercisable by statutory rule for the purposes of the Statutory Rules (Northern Ireland) Order 1979.

Any such power may be exercised to make different provision for different cases, including different provision for different areas or localities.

F22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Any other order made under this Act, other than an order under section 3(9), F1054A(6)(a) or 70(3), and any regulations made under this Act shall be subject to negative resolution within the meaning of section 41(6) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 as if they were statutory instruments within the meaning of that Act.

Section 41(3) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply in relation to any instrument or document which by virtue of this Act is required to be laid before the Assembly as if it were a statutory instrument or statutory document within the meaning of that Act.

Subsection (1) does not require an order under section 43 which applies only to a specified vehicle, or to vehicles of a specified person, to be made by statutory rule.

Nothing in section 40(6) or 46(5) affects the powers conferred by subsections (2) and (3).

Before the Secretary of State decides which of the parliamentary procedures available under section 67(5A) is to be adopted in connection with the making of any particular order under section 47(1), he must consult the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.

Regulations may set out the basis on which the Secretary of State, when he comes to make an order under section 47(1), will decide which of the parliamentary procedures available under section 67(5A) is to be adopted in connection with the making of the order.

The Secretary of State must lay before each House of Parliament each report that he prepares under this section.

In this Act—

• “accessibility certificate” means a certificate issued under section 41(1)(a);

• “act” includes a deliberate omission;

• “approval certificate” means a certificate issued under section 42(4);

• F26“benefits”, in Part II, has the meaning given in section 4(4);

• “conciliation officer” means a person designated under section 211 of the M9Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992;

• “employment” means, subject to any prescribed provision, employment under a contract of service or of apprenticeship or a contract personally to do any work, and related expressions are to be construed accordingly;

• F27“employment at an establishment in Great Britain” is to be construed in accordance with subsections (2) to (4A)

• “enactment” includes subordinate legislation and any Order in Council F28, and (except in section 56(5)) includes an enactment comprised in, or in an instrument made under, an Act of the Scottish Parliament;

• F29“Great Britain” includes such of the territorial waters of the United Kingdom as are adjacent to Great Britain

• “licensing authority means—

  1. a

     in relation to the area to which the M10Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869 applies, the Secretary of State or the holder of any office for the time being designated by the Secretary of State; or

  2. b

     in relation to any other area in England and Wales, the authority responsible for licensing taxis in that area;

• “mental impairment” does not have the same meaning as in the M11Mental Health Act 1983 or the M12Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 but the fact that an impairment would be a mental impairment for the purposes of either of those Acts does not prevent it from being a mental impairment for the purposes of this Act;

• F30“Minister of the Crown” includes the Treasury and the Defence Council

• “occupational pension scheme” has the same meaning as in the M13Pension Schemes Act 1993;

• “premises” includes land of any description;

• “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations;

• “profession” includes any vocation or occupation;

• “provider of services” has the meaning given in section 19(2)(b);

• “public service vehicle” and “regulated public service vehicle” have the meaning given in section 40;

• “PSV accessibility regulations” means regulations made under section 40(1);

• “rail vehicle” and “regulated rail vehicle” have the meaning given in section 46;

• “rail vehicle accessibility regulations” means regulations made under section 46(1);

• “regulations” means regulations made by the Secretary of State;

• F26“section 6 duty” means any duty imposed by or under section 6;

• F26“section 15 duty” means any duty imposed by or under section 15;

• “section 21 duty” means any duty imposed by or under section 21;

• “subordinate legislation” has the same meaning as in section 21 of the M14Interpretation Act 1978;

• “taxi” and “regulated taxi” have the meaning given in section 32;

• “taxi accessibility regulations” means regulations made under section 32(1);

• “trade” includes any business;

• “trade organisation” has the meaning given in section 13;

• “vehicle examiner” means an examiner appointed under section 66A of the M15Road Traffic Act 1988.

Employment of a prescribed kind, or in prescribed circumstances, is to be regarded as not being employment at an establishment in Great Britain.

For the purposes of determining if employment concerned with the exploration of the sea bed or sub-soil or the exploitation of their natural resources is outside Great Britain, subsections (2)(a) and (b), (2A) and (2C) of this section each have effect as if “Great Britain” had the same meaning as that given to the last reference to Great Britain in section 10(1) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 F33 by section 10(5) of that Act read with the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay (Offshore Employment) Order 1987 F34.

In this Act—

• “accessibility certificate” means a certificate issued under section 41(1)(a);

• “act” includes a deliberate omission;

• “the Agency” means the Labour Relations Agency;

• “approval certificate” means a certificate issued under section 42(4);

• “the Assembly” means the Northern Ireland Assembly;

• “benefits”, in Part II, has the meaning given in section 4(4);

• “the Department of Economic Development” means the Department of Economic Development in Northern Ireland;

• “the Department of the Environment” means the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland;

• “the Department of Health and Social Services” means the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland;

• “employment” means, subject to any prescribed provision, employment under a contract of service or of apprenticeship or a contract personally to do work and related expressions are to be construed accordingly;

• “employment at an establishment in Northern Ireland” is to be construed in accordance with subsections (2) to (5);

• “enactment” means any statutory provision within the meaning of section 1(f) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 F24, and (except in section 56(5)) includes an enactment comprised in, or an instrument made under, an Act of the Scottish Parliament;

• “government department” means a Northern Ireland department or a department of the Government of the United Kingdom;

• “Minister of the Crown” includes the Treasury;

• “Northern Ireland department” includes (except in sections 51 and 52) the head of a Northern Ireland department;

• “occupational pension scheme” has the same meaning as in the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993;

• “premises”, includes land of any description;

• “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations;

• “profession” includes any vocation or occupation;

• “provider of services” has the meaning given in section 19(2)(b);

• “public service vehicle” and “regulated public service vehicle” have the meaning given in section 40;

• “PSV accessibility regulations” means regulations made under section 40(1);

• “rail vehicle” and “regulated rail vehicle” have the meaning given in section 46;

• “rail vehicle accessibility regulations” means regulations made under section 46(1);

• “regulations” means—

  1. a

     in Parts I and II of this Act, section 66, the definition of “employment” above and subsections (3) and (4) below, regulations made by the Department of Economic Development;

  2. b

     in Part V of this Act, regulations made by the Department of the Environment;

  3. c

     in any other provision of this Act, regulations made by the Department of Health and Social Services.

• “section 6 duty” means any duty imposed by or under section 6;

• “section 15 duty” means any duty imposed by or under section 15;

• “section 21 duty” means any duty imposed by or under section 21;

• “taxi” and “regulated taxi” have the meaning given in section 32;

• “taxi accessibility regulations” means regulations made under section 32(1);

• “trade” includes any business;

• “trade organisation” has the meaning given in section 13;

• “vehicle examiner” means an officer of the Department of the Environment authorised by that Department for the purposes of sections 41 and 42.

Where an employee does his work wholly outside Northern Ireland, his employment is not to be treated as being work at an establishment in Northern Ireland.

Except in prescribed cases, employment on board a ship, aircraft or hovercraft is to be regarded as not being employment at an establishment in F25Northern Ireland.

Employment of a prescribed kind, or in prescribed circumstances, is to be regarded as not being employment at an establishment in F25Northern Ireland.

This Act may be cited as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

This section (apart from subsections (4), (5) and (7)) comes into force on the passing of this Act.

The other provisions of this Act come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint and different days may be appointed for different purposes.

Schedule 6 makes consequential amendments.

The repeals set out in Schedule 7 shall have effect.

Sections 7A and 7B extend to England and Wales only.

Sections 7C and 7D extend to Scotland only.

F12Subject to subsections (5A) and (5B), this Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; but in their application to Northern Ireland the provisions of this Act mentioned in Schedule 8 shall have effect subject to the modifications set out in that Schedule.

In Part II of Schedule 1 to the M7House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 and in Part II of Schedule 1 to the M8Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975 (bodies whose members are disqualified) in each case insert at the appropriate places—

Consultations which are required by any provision of this Act to be held by the Secretary of State may be held by him before the coming into force of that provision.