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Public Bill Committee: 18 June 2009                     

212

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

require the Government to use primary legislation instead.

 


 

John Mason

 

54

 

Page  109,  line  1,  leave out Clause 148.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

Removes all ministerial order-making powers related to the public sector equality duty. This would

 

require the Government to use primary legislation instead.

 


 

John Mason

 

55

 

Page  110,  line  17,  leave out Clause 149.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

Removes all ministerial order-making powers related to the public sector equality duty. This would

 

require the Government to use primary legislation instead.

 


 

The Solicitor General

 

84

 

Clause  151,  page  111,  line  8,  after ‘person’, insert ‘other than the Assembly

 

Commission’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would provide for the National Assembly for Wales Commission not to be a

 

“relevant Welsh authority”; accordingly, a Minister of the Crown (not the Welsh Ministers) would

 

have power to make an order to add the Commission to Schedule 19 or to impose specific duties

 

on it.

 

The Solicitor General

 

85

 

Clause  151,  page  111,  line  12,  after ‘authority’, insert ‘or the Assembly

 

Commission’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would provide for the National Assembly for Wales Commission not to be a

 

“relevant cross-border authority”; accordingly, a Minister of the Crown (not the Welsh Ministers)

 

would have power to make an order to add the Commission to Schedule 19 or to impose specific

 

duties on it.

 

The Solicitor General

 

86

 

Clause  151,  page  111,  line  14,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

The Assembly Commission has the same meaning as in the Government of Wales

 

Act 2006.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would define “the Assembly Commission” in amendments 84 and 85 as the


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 18 June 2009                     

213

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

National Assembly for Wales Commission or Comisiwn Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru.

 


 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

29

 

Clause  153,  page  113,  line  2,  leave out ‘reasonably thinks’ and insert ‘can

 

demonstrate’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

23

 

Clause  153,  page  113,  line  16,  leave out ‘as qualified as’ and insert ‘equally

 

qualified to’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

24

 

Page  113,  line  1,  leave out Clause 153.

 


 

The Solicitor General

 

87

 

Clause  175,  page  127,  line  38,  leave out ‘194(3)(a)’ and insert ‘194(4)(a)’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would correct a cross-reference. The correct reference is to the power of the

 

Secretary of State to make different provision in regulations for different purposes. The incorrect

 

reference relates to sex discrimination in schools.

 


 

The Solicitor General

 

88

 

Schedule  22,  page  233,  line  42,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

a college of further education within the meaning of section 36 of the

 

Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992;

 

( )    

a university in Scotland;’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would ensure that the exception to Part 5 in paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 22 will

 

apply to institutions providing further and higher education in Scotland and that an order may be

 

made under paragraph 3(5) in respect of such institutions.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee: 18 June 2009                     

214

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

122

 

Clause  188,  page  134,  line  26,  leave out ‘reassignment’ and insert ‘identity’.

 


 

John Mason

 

58

 

Schedule  23,  page  235,  line  20,  leave out sub-paragraph (2).

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

Allows commercial religious bodies to benefit from exceptions covering religion and sexual

 

orientation, so long as they also fit within paragraph 2(1).

 

John Mason

 

59

 

Schedule  23,  page  236,  line  18,  leave out sub-paragraph (10).

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

Religious groups that provide services on behalf of public authorities (e.g. Roman Catholic

 

adoption agencies) are allowed to discriminate on grounds of religion but not sexual orientation,

 

the amendment would allow religious groups to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation

 

where they can show their faith requires it.

 


 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

30

 

Clause  190,  page  135,  line  23,  at end insert—

 

‘(5)    

An order under subsection (1) may only be made if the Minister can demonstrate

 

that persons of a specified age are being discriminated against for no legitimate

 

reason.’.

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

206

 

Clause  190,  page  135,  line  23,  at end add—

 

‘(5)    

All orders under this section shall be made within six months of Royal Assent.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

The purpose of this amendment would be to limit the time available to Ministers of the Crown to

 

make orders detailing the exemptions to the general principle of non-discrimination on the basis

 

of age in the provision of goods, facilities and services.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 18 June 2009                     

215

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

John Mason

 

25

 

Page  135,  line  9,  leave out Clause 190.

 


 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

31

 

Clause  191,  page  136,  line  4,  leave out ‘thinks’ and insert ‘can demonstrate’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

32

 

Clause  191,  page  136,  line  9,  leave out ‘thinks’ and insert ‘can demonstrate’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

33

 

Clause  191,  page  136,  line  16,  leave out ‘thinks’ and insert ‘can demonstrate’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

34

 

Clause  191,  page  136,  line  23,  leave out ‘thinks’ and insert ‘can demonstrate’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

26

 

Page  136,  line  1,  leave out Clause 191.

 


 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

234

 

Clause  195,  page  138,  line  44,  at end insert—

 

‘(i)    

regulations under section 21 (regulations).’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

An amendment to require regulations in relation to reasonable adjustment to be made under the


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 18 June 2009                     

216

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

affirmative procedure.

 


 

The Solicitor General

 

89

 

Clause  199,  page  141,  line  43,  after ‘“Employer”,’, insert ‘“deferred member”,’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

See explanatory statement for amendment 65.

 

The Solicitor General

 

90

 

Clause  199,  page  142,  line  2,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

Nothing in section 26, 30, 79, 85, 90 or 95 is to be regarded as an express

 

exception.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would clarify that a provision specifying when a particular Part of the Bill, or

 

Chapter of a Part, does or does not apply is not to be regarded as an express exception.

 


 

New Clauses

 

Non-discrimination alterations

 

The Solicitor General

 

NC5

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

This section applies if the trustees or managers of an occupational pension

 

scheme do not have power to make non-discrimination alterations to the scheme.

 

(2)    

This section also applies if the trustees or managers of an occupational pension

 

scheme have power to make non-discrimination alterations to the scheme but the

 

procedure for doing so—

 

(a)    

is liable to be unduly complex or protracted, or

 

(b)    

involves obtaining consents which cannot be obtained or which can be

 

obtained only with undue delay or difficulty.

 

(3)    

The trustees or managers may by resolution make non-discrimination alterations

 

to the scheme.

 

(4)    

Non-discrimination alterations may have effect in relation to a period before the

 

date on which they are made.

 

(5)    

Non-discrimination alterations to an occupational pension scheme are such

 

alterations to the scheme as may be required for the provisions of the scheme to

 

have the effect that they have in consequence of section 57(3).’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would ensure that trustees and managers of occupational pension schemes have

 

power to amend scheme documentation so that it conforms to the provisions of the scheme as they


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 18 June 2009                     

217

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

have effect after the operation of the non-discrimination rule.

 


 

Free miners

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

NC1

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Dean Forest (Mines) Act 1838 is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

In section XIV (Who shall be deemed Free Miners), line 1, leave out “male”.

 

(3)    

In section XV (Quarrymen to be deemed Free Miners for certain purposes), line

 

1, leave out “male”.’.

 


 

Mental Health Act 1983: Members of Parliament

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

John Baron

 

NC2

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Mental Health Act 1983 is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

Subsections (2) to (7) of section 141 of the Mental Health Act 1983 are deleted.’.

 


 

Freedom of religious speech

 

John Mason

 

NC3

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘A public authority shall permit personal religious expression by those working

 

for the authority to the greatest extent possible, consistent with requirements of

 

law and the interests of workplace efficiency.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

Imitates the wording of guidelines issued by President Bill Clinton in 1997 to protect religious free

 

speech in the federal workplace.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee: 18 June 2009                     

218

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

Power for the Commission to conduct joint inquiries

 

John Mason

 

NC6

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Equality Act 2006 is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

In section 16, after subsection (4), insert—

 

“(4A)    

The Commission may conduct an inquiry under subsection (1) jointly

 

with one or more other public authorities when—

 

(a)    

the other authority or authorities have comparable inquiry

 

powers, and

 

(b)    

the matter which is the subject of the inquiry is also a matter

 

within the responsibilities of the other authority or authorities.”’.

 


 

Reasonable adjustments for babies and infants

 

John Mason

 

NC7

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision as to a duty on

 

providers of public services, where a physical feature puts a baby or infant aged

 

under 5 at a substantial disadvantage in relation to a relevant matter in comparison

 

with persons of other ages, to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to

 

avoid the disadvantage.

 

(2)    

A reference in this section to a physical feature is a reference to—

 

(a)    

a feature arising from the design or construction of a building;

 

(b)    

a feature of an approach to, exit from or access to a building;

 

(c)    

a fixture or fitting, or furniture, furnishings, materials, equipment or other

 

chattels, in or on premises or a vehicle;

 

(d)    

a feature arising from the design of a vehicle;

 

(e)    

a feature of an exit from or access to a vehicle;

 

(f)    

any other physical element or quality.

 

(3)    

Any reference in this section to chattels is to be read, in relation to Scotland, as a

 

reference to moveable property.’.

 


 

Gender identity

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

NC8

 

To move the following Clause:—


 
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