(1)The Secretary of State may by order provide with respect to—
(a)any specified arrangements made under section 2 of the [1973 c. 50.] Employment and Training Act 1973 (functions of the Secretary of State as respects employment and training), or
(b)any specified class or description of training for employment provided otherwise than in pursuance of that section, or
(c)any specified scheme set up under section 1 of the [1978 c. 6.] Employment Subsidies Act 1978 (schemes for financing employment),
that this section shall apply to such special treatment afforded to or in respect of lone parents in connection with their participation in those arrangements, or in that training or scheme, as is specified or referred to in the order.
(2)Where this section applies to any treatment afforded to or in respect of lone parents, neither the treatment so afforded nor any act done in the implementation of any such treatment shall be regarded for the purposes of the 1975 Act as giving rise to any discrimination falling within section 3 of that Act (discrimination against married persons for purposes of Part II of that Act).
(3)An order under subsection (1) above may specify or refer to special treatment afforded as mentioned in that subsection—
(a)whether it is afforded by the making of any payment or by the fixing of special conditions for participation in the arrangements, training or scheme in question, or otherwise, and
(b)whether it is afforded by the Secretary of State or by some other person;
and, without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (b) of that subsection, any class or description of training for employment specified in such an order by virtue of that paragraph may be framed by reference to the person, or the class or description of persons, by whom the training is provided.
(4)In this section—
(a)“employment” and “training” have the same meaning as in the [1973 c. 50.] Employment and Training Act 1973; and
(b)“lone parent” has the same meaning as it has for the purposes of any regulations made in pursuance of section 20(1)(a) of the [1986 c. 50.] Social Security Act 1986 (income support).