Remedy
Start free

Section 17: Police.

Sex Discrimination Act 1975 · 1975 c. 65View on legislation.gov.uk

This provision is repealed
It is retained for historical reference and may not reflect the law currently in force.

Part II: EMPLOYMENT FIELD

REPEALED on 2010-10-01 by Equality Act 2010.

The text below is from the dated revised snapshot immediately preceding this status change. It is historical and is not current law. View the historical source.

For the purposes of this Part, the holding of the office of constable shall be treated as employment—

by the chief officer of police as respects any act done by him in relation to a constable or that office;
by the police authority as respects any act done by it in relation to a constable or that office.

For the purposes of section 41—

the holding of the office of constable shall be treated as employment by the chief officer of police (and as not being employment by any other person); and
anything done by a person holding such an office in the performance, or purported performance, of his functions shall be treated as done in the course of that employment.

Regulations made under section 50, 51 or 52 of the Police Act 1996 shall not treat men and women differently except—

as to requirements relating to height, uniform or equipment, or allowances in lieu of uniform or equipment, or
so far as special treatment is accorded to women in connection with pregnancy or childbirth, or
in relation to pensions to or in respect of special constables or police cadets.

Nothing in this Part renders unlawful any discrimination between male and female constables as to matters such as are mentioned in subsection (2)(a).

There shall be paid out of the police fund—

any compensation, costs or expenses awarded against a chief officer of police in any proceedings brought against him under this Act, and any costs or expenses incurred by him in any such proceedings so far as not recovered by him in the proceedings; and
any sum required by a chief officer of police for the settlement of any claim made against him under this Act if the settlement is approved by the police authority.

Any proceedings under this Act which, by virtue of subsection (1) or (1A), would lie against a chief officer of police shall be brought against the chief officer of police for the time being or, in the case of a vacancy in that office, against the person for the time being performing the functions of that office; and references in subsection (4) to the chief officer of police shall be construed accordingly.

A police authority may, in such cases and to such extent as appear to it to be appropriate, pay out of the police fund—

any compensation, costs or expenses awarded in proceedings under this Act against a person under the direction and control of the chief officer of police;
any costs or expenses incurred and not recovered by such a person in such proceedings; and
any sum required in connection with the settlement of a claim that has or might have given rise to such proceedings.

Subsections (1) , (1A) and (3) apply to a police cadet and appointment as a police cadet as they apply to a constable and the office of constable.

Subject to subsection (9), In this section—

in relation to a person appointed, or an appointment falling to be made, under a specified Act, has the same meaning as in the Police Act 1996,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
in relation to any other person or appointment means the officer or other person who has the direction and control of the body of constables or cadets in question;
in relation to a person appointed, or an appointment falling to be made, under a specified Act, has the same meaning as in the Police Act 1996,
in relation to any other person or appointment, means the authority by whom the person in question is or on appointment would be paid;

  • “chief officer of police”—

  • “police authority”—

  • “police cadet” means any person appointed to undergo training with a view to becoming a constable;

  • “police fund” in relation to a chief officer of police within paragraph (a) of the above definition of that term has the same meaning as in the Police Act 1996. . . , and in any other case means money provided by the police authority;

  • “specified Act” means the Metropolitan Police Act 1829, the City of London Police Act 1839 or the Police Act 1996.

In the application of this section to Scotland, in subsection (7) for any reference to the Police Act 1996 there shall be substituted a reference to the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, and for the reference to sections 50, 51 and 52 of the former Act in subsection (2) there shall be substituted a reference to sections 26 and 27 of the latter Act.

In relation to a constable of a force who is not under the direction and control of the chief officer of police for that force, references in this section to the chief officer of police are references to the chief officer for the force under whose direction and control he is, and references in this section to the police authority are references to the relevant police authority for that force.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.