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237

 

House of Commons

 
 

Tuesday 23 June 2009

 

Public Bill Committee

 

New Amendments handed in are marked thus Parliamentary Star

 

Parliamentary Star - whiteAmendments which will comply with the required notice period at their next appearance

 

Equality Bill


 

Note

 

The Amendments have been arranged according to the Order of the Committee

 

[2 June 2009].

 


 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

213

 

Clause  38,  page  28,  line  2,  after ‘worker’, insert ‘with a protected characteristic

 

compared to a contract worker without a protected characteristic’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

214

 

Clause  38,  page  28,  line  10,  after ‘worker’, insert ‘with a protected characteristic

 

compared to a contract worker without a protected characteristic’.

 


 

John Mason

 

41

 

Schedule  6,  page  169,  line  15,  leave out paragraphs 2 and 3.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

Political appointments, honours and peerages are exempt from the ban on discriminating against

 

office-holders. this amendment would remove those exemptions.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 23 June 2009                     

238

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

199

 

Schedule  6,  page  170,  line  9,  at end insert ‘or other authorities of the GLA family’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

An amendment to clarify that elected members of GLA authorities (MPA, LFEPA etc.) are to be

 

treated in the same way as members of the GLA.

 


 

The Solicitor General

 

62

 

Clause  51,  page  40,  line  14,  after second ‘a’, insert ‘relevant’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment and amendment 63 would correct a minor drafting error to clarify that the

 

interpretation of a reference to conferring a relevant qualification applies in relation to all

 

relevant qualifications. A reference to conferring a relevant qualification would then include a

 

reference to renewing or extending its conferment.

 

The Solicitor General

 

63

 

Clause  51,  page  40,  line  15,  after ‘a’, insert ‘relevant’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

See the explanatory statement for amendment 62.

 


 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

209

 

Clause  52,  page  40,  line  27,  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

An employment service-provider must not ask for details of an applicant’s health

 

or disabilities before an offer to which subsection (1) applies has been made

 

except in so far as necessary to make reasonable adjustments to the selection

 

process.’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

210

 

Clause  52,  page  41,  line  5,  at end insert—

 

‘(4A)    

An employment service-provider must not ask for details of an applicant’s health

 

or disabilities before an offer to which subsection (4) applies has been made

 

except in so far as necessary to make reasonable adjustments to the selection

 

process.’.

 

The Solicitor General

 

226

 

Clause  52,  page  41,  line  12,  leave out from ‘service-provider’ to end of line 14 and

 

insert ‘, except in relation to the provision of a vocational service.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 23 June 2009                     

239

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

This amendment and amendments 227 to 229 would maintain the effect of the existing law by

 

providing for persons who provide certain employment services to be subject to the anticipatory

 

duty to make reasonable adjustments that is imposed by Part 3 in relation to services generally.

 

The Solicitor General

 

227

 

Clause  52,  page  41,  line  14,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

The duty imposed by section 27(7)(a) applies to a person concerned with the

 

provision of a vocational service; but a failure to comply with that duty in relation

 

to the provision of a vocational service is a contravention of this Part for the

 

purposes of Part 9 (enforcement).’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

See explanatory statement for amendment 226.

 


 

The Solicitor General

 

64

 

Clause  53,  page  41,  line  37,  leave out subsection (3).

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would omit Clause 53(3) which excludes from the scope of Clause 52 services the

 

provision of which is otherwise than by way of a trade or profession, reinstating the effect of

 

existing law, whereby the manner in which employment services are provided is irrelevant.

 

The Solicitor General

 

228

 

Clause  53,  page  42,  line  4,  leave out subsection (7).

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

See explanatory statement for amendment 226.

 

The Solicitor General

 

229

 

Clause  53,  page  42,  line  12,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

A reference to the provision of a vocational service is a reference to the provision

 

of an employment service within subsection (2)(a) to (d) (or an employment

 

service within subsection (2)(f) or (g) in so far as it is also an employment service

 

within subsection (2)(a) to (d)); and for that purpose—

 

(a)    

the references to an employment service within subsection (2)(a) do not

 

include a reference to vocational training within the meaning given by

 

subsection (8)(b), and

 

(b)    

the references to an employment service within subsection (2)(d) also

 

include a reference to a service for assisting persons to retain

 

employment.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

See explanatory statement for amendment 226.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee: 23 June 2009                     

240

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

211

 

Clause  54,  page  42,  line  20,  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

A trade organisation must not ask for details of an applicant’s health or

 

disabilities before an offer of membership to which subsection (1) applies has

 

been made except in so far as necessary to make reasonable adjustments to the

 

selection process.’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

212

 

Clause  54,  page  42,  line  34,  at end insert—

 

‘(4A)    

A trade organisation must not ask for details of an applicant’s health or

 

disabilities before an offer of membership to which subsection (4) applies has

 

been made except in so far as necessary to make reasonable adjustments to the

 

selection process.’.

 


 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

244

 

Clause  56,  page  43,  line  38,  at end insert—

 

‘(ca)    

a member of an authority in the GLA family;’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

An amendment to ensure all GLA authorities cannot discriminate against its members, such as the

 

LFEPA or MPA.

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

245

 

Clause  56,  page  44,  line  6,  at end insert—

 

‘(m)    

a fire authority.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

An amendment to ensure members of fire authorities are protected from discrimination.

 


 

The Solicitor General

 

65

 

Clause  58,  page  45,  line  19,  leave out from ‘person’ to ‘scheme’ in line 20 and

 

insert ‘who is a pension credit member of an occupational pension scheme as they apply

 

in relation to a disabled person who is a deferred member or pensioner member of the’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

A non-discrimination rule does not apply in relation to pension credit members of an occupational

 

pension scheme. This amendment and amendments 66 and 89 would ensure that disabled pension

 

credit members are protected from discrimination in so far as communications in relation to the

 

scheme are concerned.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 23 June 2009                     

241

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

The Solicitor General

 

66

 

Clause  58,  page  45,  line  26,  leave out subsection (2).

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

See explanatory statement for amendment 65.

 


 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

259

 

Page  45,  line  36,  leave out Clause 59.

 


 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

260

 

Clause  61,  page  47,  line  16,  at end add—

 

‘(5)    

Where section [Relevant types of work (No. 2)] (2) applies, the provisions of this

 

section will apply to the extent that a term of A’s is less favourable than a

 

corresponding term of B would be, or that A does not have a term which B would

 

have.’.

 


 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

261

 

Clause  62,  page  48,  line  27,  at end add—

 

‘(11)    

Where section [Relevant types of work (No. 2)] (2) applies, the provisions of this

 

section will apply to the extent that a term of A’s is less favourable than a

 

corresponding term of B would be, or if a discretion in relation to A is capable of

 

being exercised in a way which is less favourable than it would be in relation to

 

B.’.

 


 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

239

 

Clause  64,  page  49,  line  23,  at end add ‘Any difference on the grounds of sex or age

 

in the provision of goods or services shall not be discriminatory if the difference is

 

because of a material factor which is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate

 

aim.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 23 June 2009                     

242

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

262

 

Page  49,  line  1,  leave out Clause 64.

 


 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

258

 

Page  50,  line  1,  leave out Clause 65.

 


 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

263

 

Page  50,  line  20,  leave out Clause 66.

 


 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

28

 

Clause  73,  page  55,  line  14,  leave out ‘by regulations’ and insert ‘not’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

15

 

Clause  73,  page  55,  line  17,  at end insert ‘and

 

(b)    

employees who have a disability and employees who do not have a

 

disability.’.

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

248

 

Clause  73,  page  55,  line  19,  leave out ‘250’ and insert ‘100’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

An amendment to reduce the number of people an organisation must employ in order to be subject

 

to the gender pay gap clause requirements.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

14

 

Clause  73,  page  55,  line  19,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

the Armed Forces;


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 23 June 2009                     

243

 

Equality Bill, continued

 
 

( )    

the Security Service, the Secret Intelligence Service or the Government

 

Communications Headquarters;’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

13

 

Clause  73,  page  55,  line  20,  leave out paragraph (b).

 

The Solicitor General

 

67

 

Clause  73,  page  55,  line  20,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

a government department or part of the armed forces not specified in that

 

Schedule.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would exclude the security and intelligence agencies and GCHQ’s military

 

helpers from the scope of Clause 73. As a result, that clause would not apply to any government

 

department or any part of the armed forces.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

12

 

Page  55,  line  13,  leave out Clause 73.

 


 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

240

 

Clause  77,  page  58,  line  4,  leave out ‘with or’.

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

John Penrose

 

Mr John Baron

 

241

 

Clause  77,  page  58,  line  6,  leave out ‘with or’.

 


 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

243

 

Clause  78,  page  58,  line  45,  at end insert—

 

‘(e)    

unremunerated work that is comparable to employment.’.

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

A probing amendment to establish to what extent volunteers have the same protection from


 
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