Sussex MPs are urging ministers to close a loophole in new equality legislation to prevent hotels and insurance companies discriminating against gays and lesbians.

The Equality Bill, currently before Parliament, will prohibit homophobic actions by councils and other public bodies.

But it fails to address complaints about discrimination against homosexuals in the provision of private goods and services, for example healthcare and insurance.

Hotels have also come under fire from the gay rights lobby recently for turning away homosexual couples.

Under the Bill, only religious belief will be protected from discrimination in these areas. Racial and disability discrimination is already covered by previous legislation.

But Brighton Kemp Town MP Des Turner is leading calls for the terms of the Bill to be expanded to protect homosexuals.

He has tabled a Commons Early Day Motion, which has been backed by 47 MPs, demanding that the Government amends the Equality Bill appropriately.

It states: "This House welcomes the Equality Bill, but calls on the Government to extend the protections for religious groups, in respect of discrimination in the provisions of goods, facilities and services, to lesbians and gay men. There is a pressing need for such legislation at the earliest opportunity to end widespread discrimination in areas such as healthcare and insurance which exists purely on the grounds of sexual orientation."

The motion has been supported by Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper, Hove MP Celia Barlow and Crawley MP Laura Moffatt.

It follows a similar resolution by Dr Turner's constituency party at the Labour Party conference in Brighton last month.

That stated: "Conference believes there is an urgent need to ensure that businesses as well as public services and authorities should not be allowed to discriminate on the grounds of a person's sexuality, just as they are currently not allowed to discriminate on a person's race.

"Such bigoted, homophobic discrimination should be outlawed whether enacted by a council, hotel or any other provider of goods, services or facilities."

The Equality Bill has been re-introduced to Parliament after it ran out of time before the last General Election.

It will create a single body to take over from the Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission.

The new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) will seek to prevent discrimination on the grounds of age, religion and sexual orientation.

The Bill will also require public authorities to promote gender equality.