Religious requirements relating to sex, marriage etc., sexual orientation
2(1)A person (A) does not contravene a provision mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) by applying in relation to employment a requirement to which sub-paragraph (4) applies if A shows that—
(a)the employment is for the purposes of an organised religion,
(b)the application of the requirement engages the compliance or non-conflict principle, and
(c)the person to whom A applies the requirement does not meet it (or A has reasonable grounds for not being satisfied that the person meets it).
(2)The provisions are—
(a)section 39(1)(a) or (c) or (2)(b) or (c);
(b)section 49(3)(a) or (c) or (6)(b) or (c);
(c)section 50(3)(a) or (c) or (6)(b) or (c);
(d)section 51(1).
(3)A person does not contravene section 53(1) or (2)(a) or (b) by applying in relation to a relevant qualification (within the meaning of that section) a requirement to which sub-paragraph (4) applies if the person shows that—
(a)the qualification is for the purposes of employment mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(a), and
(b)the application of the requirement engages the compliance or non-conflict principle.
(4)This sub-paragraph applies to—
(a)a requirement to be of a particular sex;
(b)a requirement not to be a transsexual person;
(c)a requirement not to be married or a civil partner;
(d)a requirement not to be married to, or the civil partner of, a person who has a living former spouse or civil partner;
(e)a requirement relating to circumstances in which a marriage or civil partnership came to an end;
(f)a requirement related to sexual orientation.
(5)The application of a requirement engages the compliance principle if the requirement is applied so as to comply with the doctrines of the religion.
(6)The application of a requirement engages the non-conflict principle if, because of the nature or context of the employment, the requirement is applied so as to avoid conflicting with the strongly held religious convictions of a significant number of the religion’s followers.
(7)A reference to employment includes a reference to an appointment to a personal or public office.
(8)In the case of a requirement within sub-paragraph (4)(a), sub-paragraph (1) has effect as if in paragraph (c) the words from “(or” to the end were omitted.