Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Resolution 2318 (2020) on the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace.

Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right, and one which underpins many of the others. Britain has a proud tradition of religious tolerance, within the law. The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief and promoting respect between communities of different religions and those of no religion. Promoting the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief is one of the UK’s human rights policy priorities. In the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe and other multilateral fora, the UK works with like-minded partners on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people are protected against discrimination because of religion or belief, and that they?are able to?exercise the right to hold and manifest their beliefs in a reasonable manner.

Resolution 2318 concerns the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace. Domestic anti-discrimination provisions covering religion or belief are contained in the Equality Act 2010. Anyone who feels that they have suffered discrimination because of religion or belief can contact either The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), for issues related to the workplace, or the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) for non-employment matters. Both services provide free advice to members of the public.

ACAS and the EASS refer appropriate cases to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which is the country’s national equality and enforcement body. Both the EHRC and ACAS have published guidance for employers and employees about religion or belief and the workplace.

The UK Government thanks the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for its recent debate, report, and Resolution 2318 (2020) on the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace. Working with partners and key stakeholders, the UK Government will continue to consider actively, and across departments, the important topics raised by Resolution 2318 (2020).