General qualifications bodies: discrimination and harassmentN.I.
34.—(1) It is unlawful for a general qualifications body to discriminate against a disabled person—
(a)in the arrangements which it makes for the purpose of determining upon whom to confer a relevant qualification;
(b)in the terms on which it is prepared to confer a relevant qualification on him;
(c)by refusing or deliberately omitting to grant any application by him for such a qualification; or
(d)by withdrawing such a qualification from him or varying the terms on which he holds it.
(2) It is also unlawful for a general qualifications body, in relation to a relevant qualification conferred by it, to subject to harassment a disabled person who holds or applies for such a qualification.
(3) In the case of an act which constitutes discrimination by virtue of Article 43, this Article also applies to discrimination against a person who is not disabled.
(4) In this Article and Article 37, “relevant qualification” means an authorisation, qualification, approval or certification of a prescribed description.
(5) But an authorisation, qualification, approval or certification may not be prescribed under paragraph (4) if it is a professional or trade qualification (within the meaning given by section 14A(5) of the 1995 Act).
(6) In this Chapter—
(a)“general qualifications body” means any authority or body which can confer a relevant qualification, but it does not include—
(i)a responsible body (within the meaning of Chapter I or II),
(ii)an education and library board, or
(iii)an authority or body of a prescribed description or in prescribed circumstances;
(b)references (however expressed) to the conferment of a qualification on a person include—
(i)the renewal or extension of a qualification, and
(ii)the authentication of a qualification awarded to him by another person.