Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

My Lords, it is not as simple as that, as the noble Lord knows. The Government said it was an improper vehicle by which to introduce harassment because harassment is a perception by one person of another. That is why I think it is wrong for it to be done in this case. It is surprising, as the noble Lord, Lord Eames, and others have said, that the consultation period lasted only eight weeks, even though it should have been 12 weeks. It has been pointed out that that was far too short a time, particularly as it was during the summer months. The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments is still considering these regulations, despite the fact that they came into operation on 1 January. It would have been more courteous and more correct to have waited for the views of the Joint Committee, otherwise what is the point of having a Joint Committee? Is not the real reason for all this that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was determined to get these regulations in place in Northern Ireland before Stormont takes over power, before 24 March? One wonders why the Secretary of State did not let Stormont make up its own mind on these delicate matters which relate to the people of Northern Ireland. As the unionists have more seats, he knew that, left to Stormont, the regulations would not have been introduced. One might then say, ““Let Stormont remove the regulations, if that is what it wants to do, as soon as it takes power””. But that could not happen because—I am not familiar with all the niceties of Northern Ireland politics—Sinn Fein and the SDLP have a lock over these matters, and they would never agree to the regulations being removed. So, the Secretary of State is forcing these regulations on the people of Northern Ireland against their wishes, against the wishes of those who represent them and while the Secretary of State is still in a position to do so. Having done that, what will the Government do? They will say that now the regulations are in operation in Northern Ireland, we can have the same regulations for England and Wales. It is important that these regulations should not criminalise the practice of a person's faith, but they will. They tread over religious sensitivities and they create fear. The way in which they have been introduced is highly undesirable. For those reasons I hope that the noble Lord, Lord Morrow, will continue with his Prayer.