Section 30: Ships and hovercraft
Effect
114.This section provides that the services provisions will only apply to ships and hovercraft in the way set out in regulations made by a Minister of the Crown. The section also provides that in relation to the exercise of public functions that do not involve providing a service to the public, section 29(6) applies to ships and hovercraft in all cases except disability discrimination for which regulations will be needed.
115.As ships and hovercraft may be constantly moving between waters under the jurisdiction of different States or be outside the jurisdiction of any State, such regulations are needed to give certainty for people who provide or receive services in relation to ships and hovercraft about whether the services and public functions provisions apply.
Background
116.Previous legislation specified the territorial application of the services provisions, dealing specifically with ships and hovercraft (for example, section 36 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and section 27 of the Race Relations Act 1976). As the Act is silent on the territorial application of the services provisions, regulations made under this section will ensure that there is clarity about when and on which ships and hovercraft the services provisions apply.
