To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many responses he has received from (a) organisations and (b) individuals to the consultations by the Office of First and Deputy First Minister on (i) proposals to outlaw discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities and services and (ii) its draft sexual orientation strategy; and if he will place the responses in the Library. (103394)

The consultation on the proposals to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities and services received:

(a) 39 responses from organisations; and

(b) 334 responses from individuals.

The consultation on the draft sexual orientation strategy received:

(a) 18 responses from organisations; and

(b) 0 responses from individuals.

Copies of all the consultation responses from both consultations are being placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 were published prior to the publication of the results of the consultation by the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister on proposals to outlaw discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities and services; and if he will make a statement. (103725)

It was always the intention to publish the consultation responses and the Government's views on them around the same time as the Regulations were published.

The results of the consultation are now on the OFMDFM website along with all the consultation responses received. In line with a request in a separate parliamentary question from the hon. Gentleman, copies of the consultation responses are being placed in the Library.