A UK Catholic social services agency is legally allowed to refuse adoption consideration to same-sex parents, according to a UK High Court ruling Wednesday.

Regulation 18 of The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations of 2007, started this debate. According to it, discrimination based on sexual orientation is forbidden except by charities acting as “charitable instruments.” The given ruling will stand until the Charity Commission makes a ruling on Justice Brigg’s interpretation of the regulation.

Briggs wrote:

“On my interpretation of Regulation 18, the Commission is the body charged by Parliament with the task of carrying out that analysis. … I have no reason to suppose that, directed as to the true interpretation of Regulation 18, the Charity Commission will not properly be able to carry out that analysis, either on the facts thus far proved, or upon the basis of such further evidence as it may consider necessary and appropriate to take into account.”

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