New legislation banning workplace discrimination because of religion and sexuality has been unveiled by the government.

Barbara Roche, the minister for social inclusion, has laid before parliament regulations making it an offence for an employer to act prejudicially against Muslims.

The regulations also outlaw any harassment or discrimination at work against gay men and lesbians.

A spokesman for the DfWP told ePolitix.com: "The key disability measures contained in the draft regulations, which were recently widely consulted on, are ending the small employer exemption, bringing a further one million small organisations with an estimated 600,000 disabled employees within the scope of the DDA. Also ending the exemption of some excluded occupations - police, fire fighters, prison officers.

"Once approved, the regulations will come into effect in October 2004 to coincide with DDA duties on service providers to make reasonable physical alterations.

"The measures derive from Disability Rights Task Force recommendations and will also fulfil the requirements of an Article 13 European employment directive, two years earlier than necessary."

Forum Response: First Division Association

A spokesman for the FDA told ePolitix.com: "The FDA fully supports the government's moves to outlaw discrimination at work on the grounds of religion and sexuality. This will reinforce the existing legislation covering race and gender and marks a significant step forward for the UK's equality agenda.

"However, experience in the civil service and across the rest of the labour market has shown that discrimination legislation on its own is not enough to guarantee equality, all employers also need to audit their own performance.

"Twenty five years after the introduction of the Equal Pay Act we are still far from achieving equal pay for men and women. Neither have we achieved equal representation among senior positions for women, ethnic minorities and disabled staff - in the civil service or the wider economy."In the civil service, departments have had to undertake equality audits to check for gender inequalities in their pay systems and are now drawing up action plans to address the findings. The FDA will be working with departments to ensure that these action plans are meaningful and robust.

"However, some departments' original audits have only checked for inequalities from gender and these areas must now also take action to audit inequalities due to race and disability."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

A spokesman for the IoD told ePolitix.com: "While the sentiments behind these proposals are of course laudable legislation is not the answer.

"Racism and homophobia, do, sadly, exist and we should be in no doubt about that. Increasing bureaucracy through legislation will only cost time and money for the employer and will not solve the problem. The solution lies in better management."