In Part VIII of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (supplementary provisions), after section 85 (application to Crown) insert—

“85A Application to House of Commons staff.

(1)

Parts II and IV apply to an act done by an employer of a relevant member of the House of Commons staff, and to service as such a member, as they apply to an act done by and to service for the purposes of a Minister of the Crown or government department, and accordingly apply as if references to a contract of employment included references to the terms of service of such a member.

(2)

In this section “relevant member of the House of Commons staff” has the same meaning as in section 139 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978; and subsections (4) to (9) of that section (person to be treated as employer of House of Commons staff) apply, with any necessary modifications, for the purposes of Parts II and IV as they apply by virtue of this section.”.