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[F1Part 16AU.K.Armed forces covenant [F2report]

Textual Amendments

F2Word in Pt. 16A heading omitted (1.5.2022 for specified purposes, 22.11.2022 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Armed Forces Act 2021 (c. 35), ss. 8(2), 24(1); S.I. 2022/471, reg. 3; S.I. 2022/1161, reg. 3

[F3343AADue regard to principles: EnglandU.K.

(1)In exercising in relation to England a relevant function, a person or body specified in subsection (3) must have due regard to—

(a)the unique obligations of, and sacrifices made by, the armed forces,

(b)the principle that it is desirable to remove disadvantages arising for service people from membership, or former membership, of the armed forces, and

(c)the principle that special provision for service people may be justified by the effects on such people of membership, or former membership, of the armed forces.

(2)In this section “relevant function”, in relation to a person or body specified in subsection (3), means—

(a)a relevant housing function,

(b)a relevant education function, or

(c)a relevant healthcare function.

(3)The specified persons and bodies are—

(a)a local authority in England;

(b)the governing body of a maintained school in England;

(c)the proprietor of an Academy in England;

(d)a non-maintained special school;

(e)the governing body of an institution within the further education sector in England;

(f)a special post-16 institution;

(g)[F4NHS England];

[F5(h)an integrated care board;]

(i)a National Health Service trust in England;

(j)an NHS foundation trust.

(4)In this section “relevant housing function” means a function under or by virtue of any of the following—

(a)Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996 (allocation of housing accommodation);

(b)Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 (homelessness: England);

(c)Part 1 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (grants, etc for renewal of private sector housing);

(d)section 1 of the Homelessness Act 2002 (duty of local housing authority in England to formulate a homelessness strategy);

(e)section 150 of the Localism Act 2011 (tenancy strategies);

(f)regulation 3 of the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1860) (power of local housing authorities to provide assistance), so far as that regulation deals with the provision of financial assistance for a purpose corresponding to any purpose specified in section 23 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (disabled facilities grants: purposes).

(5)In this section “relevant education function” means a function under or by virtue of any of the following—

(a)the Education Act 1996;

(b)Part 3 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (school admissions);

(c)section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (duties of local authorities and governing bodies in relation to welfare of children);

(d)any provision of Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so far as it deals with special educational provision.

(6)In this section “relevant healthcare function” means a function under or by virtue of—

(a)the National Health Service Act 2006, or

(b)any provision of Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (children and young people in England with special educational needs or disabilities), so far as it deals with health care provision.

(7)In this section “health care provision” and “special educational provision” are to be interpreted as if this section were in Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (see section 21 of that Act).

(8)In this section—