Public Bill Committee: 16 June 2009

169

Equality Bill, continued

Lynne Featherstone

Dr Evan Harris

204

Clause  101,  page  74,  line  3,  at end insert—

‘(2A)

An association is deemed to have at least 25 members for the purposes of

subsection (1)(a) if it has been reconstituted or formed out of an association of at

least 25 members.’.

Member’s explanatory statement

An amendment to prevent an association from reconstituting itself into many separate associations

as a means of avoiding the duties under the Act.

Lynne Featherstone

Dr Evan Harris

205

Clause  101,  page  74,  line  4,  leave out subsection (3).

Member’s explanatory statement

The amendment prevents the Government from reducing or increasing the number of members an

association must have to be covered by this Act.

The Solicitor General

79

Schedule  15,  page  207,  line  35,  leave out from ‘who’ to end of line 36 and insert

‘—

(a)	are, or are seeking to become or might wish to become, members,

(b)	are associates, or

(c)	are, or are likely to become, guests.’.

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment and amendment 80 would expand the scope of the duty on associations to make

reasonable adjustments so that the duty applies in relation to prospective members and guests. The

omission of provision to that effect from the Bill on introduction was an oversight.

The Solicitor General

80

Schedule  15,  page  208,  line  1,  leave out from ‘relevant’ to end of line 2 and insert

‘matters are—

(a)	access to a benefit, facility or service;

(b)	being admitted to membership or invited as a guest.’.

Member’s explanatory statement

See explanatory statement for amendment 79.

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

16

Clause  118,  page  85,  line  28,  leave out paragraph (c).

Public Bill Committee: 16 June 2009

170

Equality Bill, continued

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

17

Clause  118,  page  85,  line  29,  leave out subsection (3) and insert—

‘(3)	In the event that an employment tribunal finds that an employer has contravened

a term modified or included by an equality clause, the employer shall be required

to undertake an audit, to be known as an equal pay audit, and to make the results

of the audit available in a manner prescribed in regulations made by the Secretary

of State.’.

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

18

Clause  118,  page  86,  line  8,  leave out subsection (7).

The Solicitor General

81

Clause  130,  page  95,  line  27,  after ‘offence’, insert ‘under this Act’.

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would remove an inconsistency between Clause 107(7)(a) and Clause 130(5).

The Solicitor General

82

Clause  138,  page  100,  line  16,  after ‘of’, insert ‘or made under’.

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would expand the scope of Clause 138(1) to render unenforceable a contractual

term which purports to exclude or limit a provision made under the Bill in addition to a provision

of the Bill itself. The amendment would complement the provisions already in the Bill.

The Solicitor General

83

Clause  138,  page  100,  line  19,  after ‘of’, insert ‘or made under’.

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would expand the scope of Clause 138(2) to render unenforceable a relevant non-

contractual term which purports to exclude or limit a provision made under the Bill in addition to

a provision of the Bill itself. The amendment would complement the provisions already in the Bill.

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

19

Clause  143,  page  105,  line  14,  at beginning insert ‘Subsection (1) will also apply

to’.

Public Bill Committee: 16 June 2009

171

Equality Bill, continued

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

20

Clause  143,  page  105,  leave out lines 15 and 16 and insert ‘except in relation to matters

of employment’.

John Mason

49

Clause  143,  page  105,  line  32,  at end insert—

‘(4A)

Having due regard to the need to foster good relations between persons who share

a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it involves

ensuring a proper balance between the rights of persons who share a relevant

protected characteristic and the rights of persons who share a different relevant

protected characteristic.’.

Member’s explanatory statement

Prevents public authorities using the public sector equality duty to favour the rights of one group

over another.

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

21

Clause  143,  page  105,  line  35,  at end insert—

‘(5A)

A public authority must collect and publish data annually showing, in the exercise

of its functions, the extent to which it has succeeded in meeting the requirements

under subsection (1).’.

John Mason

50

Schedule  18,  page  216,  leave out lines 21 to 24.

Member’s explanatory statement

The Commons, the Lords, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly are exempt from the

public sector equality duty. This amendment would remove those exemptions.

Mr Mark Harper

Mr John Penrose

Mr John Baron

192

Schedule  18,  page  216,  line  31,  at end insert—

‘(j)	persons involved in the commissioning, content and broadcast of

programmes.’.

Mr Mark Harper

Mr John Penrose

Mr John Baron

193

Schedule  18,  page  216,  line  44,  at end insert—

Public Bill Committee: 16 June 2009

172

Equality Bill, continued

‘(g)	a function in connection with the commissioning, content and broadcast

of programmes.’.

John Mason

51

Page  107,  line  6,  leave out Clause 145.

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

52

Page  107,  line  29,  leave out Clause 146.

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.

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

22

Clause  147,  page  108,  line  27,  at end insert—

‘(5)	Before regulations are made under this section, there must be laid before both

Houses of Parliament—

(a)	draft regulations, and

(b)	evidence that the regulations will enable the better performance by public

authorities of the duty imposed by subsection (1).’.

John Mason

53

Page  108,  line  18,  leave out Clause 147.

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

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

Public Bill Committee: 16 June 2009

173

Equality Bill, continued

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

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’.

Public Bill Committee: 16 June 2009

174

Equality Bill, continued

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.

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

Public Bill Committee: 16 June 2009

175

Equality Bill, continued

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.

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’.

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Revised 16 June 2009