UK Act of Parliament 1997 Northern Ireland

Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997

This Order makes provision with respect to discrimination on racial grounds. It also provides for the establishment and functions of the Commission for Racial Equality for Northern Ireland.

Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
EHRC
Status
Amended (in force with amendments)
Penalty ceiling
Prosecution 5 of 20 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 15 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person11 Self-Employed Person1

Plus 8 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
Self-Employed Person — also bound by 80 other Acts

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1

INTRODUCTORY

0 of 6 sections shown
6 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.001 Title and commencement (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Interpretation (opens in a new tab)
s.003 Racial discrimination (opens in a new tab)
s.004 Discrimination by way of victimisation (opens in a new tab)
s.005 Meaning of “racial grounds” “racial group” etc. (opens in a new tab)
s.harassment Harassment
Part 2

DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT IN THE EMPLOYMENT FIELD

3 of 13 sections shown
s.012 Partnerships (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Do not discriminate against partners or prospective partners on racial groundsAny Person
s.013 Trade unions etc. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Do not discriminate against members or applicants on racial groundsAny Person
s.016 Employment agencies (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Make false statement to reliance defenceAny Person

Unlimited fine

10 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.006 . . . applicants and employees (opens in a new tab)
s.007 Discrimination by persons with statutory power to select employees for others (opens in a new tab)
s.008 Exceptions for genuine occupational qualifications (opens in a new tab)
s.009 . . . contract workers (opens in a new tab)
s.010 Meaning of employment at establishment in Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
s.011 Seafarers (opens in a new tab)
s.014 Qualifying bodies (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Persons concerned with provision of vocational training (opens in a new tab)
s.exception for genuine occupational requirement Exception for genuine occupational requirement
s.paragraph/p2 Art. 17 rep. by 2000 c. 32
Part 3

DISCRIMINATION IN OTHER FIELDS

6 of 14 sections shown
s.018 . . . bodies in charge of educational establishments (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Do not discriminate against or harass pupils or applicantsAny Person
s.020 General duty in public sector of education (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Education Authority must provide education without racial discriminationCrown / Minister / Government department
s.021 . . . provision of goods, facilities or services (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Do not discriminate against or harass people when providing goods, facilities or servicesAny Person
s.025 Discrimination: associations not within Article 13 (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Don't discriminate in membership if you run a qualifying associationAny Person
s.026 . . . barristers (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Do not discriminate against pupils or in accepting instructionsSelf-Employed Person
s.art020 Public authorities Regulated
  • Public authorities must not discriminate or harass in service provisionAny Person
8 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.019 Other discrimination etc. by the Education Authority (opens in a new tab)
s.022 . . . disposal or management of premises (opens in a new tab)
s.023 Exception from Articles 21(1) and 22: small dwellings (opens in a new tab)
s.024 Further exceptions from Articles 21 and 22 (opens in a new tab)
s.027 Extent of Part III (opens in a new tab)
s.exception from article 20a for certain acts in imm Exception from Article 20A for certain acts in immigration cases
s.exceptions from article 20a for decisions not to p Exceptions from Article 20A for decisions not to prosecute etc
s.exceptions or further exceptions from article 20a Exceptions or further exceptions from Article 20A for judicial and legislative acts etc
Part 4

OTHER UNLAWFUL ACTS

2 of 7 sections shown
s.029 Discriminatory advertisements (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Publish discriminatory advertisementAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.033 Aiding unlawful acts (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Aid unlawful racial discrimination actsAny Person

Unlimited fine

5 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.028 (1) In this Article “discriminatory practice” means— (opens in a new tab)
s.030 Instructions to commit unlawful acts (opens in a new tab)
s.031 Pressure to commit unlawful acts (opens in a new tab)
s.032 Liability of employers and principals (opens in a new tab)
s.relationships which have come to end Relationships which have come to end
Part 5

CHARITIES

0 of 1 section shown
1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.034 Charities (opens in a new tab)
Part 6

GENERAL EXCEPTIONS FROM PARTS II TO IV

0 of 10 sections shown
10 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.035 Special needs of racial groups in regard to education, training or welfare (opens in a new tab)
s.036 Provision of education or training for persons not ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
s.037 Discriminatory training etc. (opens in a new tab)
s.038 Sports and competitions (opens in a new tab)
s.039 Indirect access to benefits etc. (opens in a new tab)
s.040 Acts done under statutory authority etc. (opens in a new tab)
s.041 Acts safeguarding national security, etc. (opens in a new tab)
s.effect of certificates by secretary of state Effect of certificates by Secretary of State
s.selection of unemployed persons Selection of unemployed persons
s.the police service of northern ireland and the pol The Police Service of Northern Ireland and the police support staff
Part 7

THE COMMISSION FOR RACIAL EQUALITY FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

5 of 9 sections shown
s.042 Establishment and duties of Commission (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Equality Commission must eliminate discrimination and promote good relationsStatutory regulator
s.047 Terms of reference (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Equality Commission must follow strict procedures for formal investigationsStatutory regulator
s.048 Power to obtain information (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Willfully destroy or falsify documents required by the CommissionAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.049 Recommendations and reports on formal investigations (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Equality Commission may recommend changes to your policies or proceduresStatutory regulator
s.050 Restriction on disclosure of information (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Disclose protected information from a race relations investigationAny Person

Unlimited fine

4 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.043 Assistance to organisations (opens in a new tab)
s.044 Research and education (opens in a new tab)
s.045 Codes of practice (opens in a new tab)
s.046 Power to conduct formal investigations (opens in a new tab)
Part 8

ENFORCEMENT

2 of 19 sections shown
s.058 Register of non-discrimination notices (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Equality Commission must maintain a public register of discrimination noticesStatutory regulator
s.061 Preliminary action in employment cases (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Commission may bring preliminary discrimination complaints to a tribunalStatutory regulator
17 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.051 Restriction on proceedings for breach of Order (opens in a new tab)
s.052 Jurisdiction of industrial tribunals (opens in a new tab)
s.053 Remedies on complaint under Article 52 (opens in a new tab)
s.054 Claims under Part III etc (opens in a new tab)
s.055 Issue of non-discrimination notice (opens in a new tab)
s.056 Appeal against non-discrimination notice (opens in a new tab)
s.057 Investigation as to compliance with non-discrimination notice (opens in a new tab)
s.059 Persistent discrimination (opens in a new tab)
s.060 Enforcement of Articles 29 to 31 (opens in a new tab)
s.062 Undertakings by persons contravening this Order (opens in a new tab)
s.063 Help for aggrieved persons in obtaining information etc. (opens in a new tab)
s.064 Assistance by Commission (opens in a new tab)
s.065 Period within which proceedings to be brought (opens in a new tab)
s.066 Evidence (opens in a new tab)
s.burden of proof: county court Burden of proof: county court
s.burden of proof: industrial tribunals Burden of proof: industrial tribunals
s.claims under article 20a in immigration cases Claims under Article 20A in immigration cases
Part 9

SUPPLEMENTAL

2 of 12 sections shown
s.067 District councils: general statutory duty (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • District councils must promote racial equality and good relationsLocal authority
s.art068 (1) A person to whom this paragraph applies may present... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Industrial Tribunal must declare discriminatory contract terms voidTribunal / Court
10 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.068 Validity and revision of contracts (opens in a new tab)
s.069 Power to amend certain provisions of Order (opens in a new tab)
s.070 Regulations and orders (opens in a new tab)
s.071 Application to Crown etc. (opens in a new tab)
s.072 Government appointments outside Article 6 (opens in a new tab)
s.collective agreements and rules of undertakings Collective agreements and rules of undertakings
s.other office holders Other office holders
s.other police bodies Other police bodies
s.paragraph/p17 Art. 73—Amendments
s.the police service of northern ireland and the pol The Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve

Help complying

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Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.