315

House of Commons

Tuesday 30 June 2009

Public Bill Committee

New Amendments handed in are marked thus

Amendments which will comply with the required notice period at their next appearance

Equality Bill

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Note

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

[2 June 2009].

Mr Tim Boswell

242

Clause  143,  page  105,  line  13,  at end insert—

‘(d)	respect and protect the human rights of any person for whom it has

responsibility, whether or not they have a relevant protected

characteristic.’.

As an Amendment to Mr Tim Boswell’s proposed Amendment (No. 242):—

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

(a)

At beginning insert ‘fulfil’.

Member’s explanatory statement

Amendment to take the usual formation of human rights legislation.

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

249

Clause  143,  page  105,  line  13,  at end insert—

‘(2)	Subsection (1)(b) does not apply in so far as it relates to religion or belief.’.

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment removes the duty on public authorities to have regard to promoting equality of

opportunity between religious people.

Public Bill Committee: 30 June 2009

316

Equality Bill, continued

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

19

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

to’.

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’.

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

307

Clause  143,  page  105,  line  27,  at end insert—

‘(3A)

In meeting the needs of persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that

are different from the needs of persons who do not share it, a person complying

with its duties under this section shall prefer the inclusive provision of services

over separate provision of services.’.

Mr David Drew

279

Clause  143,  page  105,  line  31,  leave out ‘and’.

Mr David Drew

280

Clause  143,  page  105,  line  32,  at end insert ‘and,

(c)	eliminate hatred and hostility towards members of different groups.’.

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.

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

297

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

‘(4A)

In complying with its duties under this section, a public authority shall not inhibit

lawful free expression.’.

This underpins the need to preserve lawful freedom of expression in public life.

Public Bill Committee: 30 June 2009

317

Equality Bill, continued

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).’.

As an Amendment to Mr Mark Harper’s proposed Amendment (No. 21):—

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

(a)

Line  2,  leave out from ‘meeting’ to end and insert—

‘(a)	eliminating discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other

conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act;

(b)	advancing equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant

protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;

(c)	fostering good relations between persons who share a relevant protected

characteristic and persons who do not share it.’.

Member’s explanatory statement

Public authorities must publish data on whether they have achieved the three parts of the equality

duty, rather than on whether they have had regard to this requirement.

Lynne Featherstone

Dr Evan Harris

281

Schedule  18,  page  215,  line  25,  leave out paragraph 1.

Member’s explanatory statement

To remove the exception from the age public sector equality duty so far as relating to education

and public services for young people, such as children’s homes.

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

298

Schedule  18,  page  215,  line  41,  leave out ‘, race or religion or belief’ and insert ‘,

nationality’.

The Solicitor General

282

Schedule  18,  page  216,  line  13,  at end insert—

‘Judicial functions, etc.

(1)	Section 143 does not apply to the exercise of—

(a)	a judicial function;

(b)	a function exercised on behalf of, or on the instructions of, a person

exercising a judicial function.

Public Bill Committee: 30 June 2009

318

Equality Bill, continued

(2)	The references to a judicial function include a reference to a judicial function

conferred on a person other than a court or tribunal.’.

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would provide that the duties imposed by clause 143 on public authorities, as well

as on other persons exercising public functions, will not apply to the exercise of judicial functions

(or other functions exercised in a judicial context).

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.

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

300

Schedule  18,  page  216,  leave out line 25.

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment removes the exemption for the General Synod of the Church of England from the

duty in section 143(2).

Mr Mark Harper

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

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

278

Schedule  18,  page  216,  line  34,  at end insert—

‘(aa)

a function in connection with membership of the House of Commons;’.

The Solicitor General

283

Schedule  18,  page  216,  line  40,  leave out paragraphs (d) and (e).

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment is consequential on amendment 282.

The Solicitor General

284

Schedule  18,  page  216,  line  43,  leave out paragraph (f).

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would remove from the exceptions to the duty imposed by clause 143 on persons

other than public authorities who exercise public functions, an exception for decisions to

prosecute; accordingly, the duties imposed by clause 143 on public authorities, and others

exercising public functions, will apply to such decisions.

Public Bill Committee: 30 June 2009

319

Equality Bill, continued

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

193

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

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

of programmes.’.

The Solicitor General

285

Schedule  18,  page  216,  line  45,  leave out sub-paragraph (4).

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment is consequential on amendment 282.

Mr Mark Harper

John Penrose

Mr John Baron

266

Schedule  19,  page  218,  line  43,  at end insert—

‘The relevant qualifications regulator (The Office of the Qualifications and

Examinations Regulator—Ofqual).’.

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.

Public Bill Committee: 30 June 2009

320

Equality Bill, continued

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

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.

Public Bill Committee: 30 June 2009

321

Equality Bill, continued

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.

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

303

Clause  152,  page  112,  line  19,  after ‘needs’, insert ‘to the extent that it is

reasonable to meet them’.

Member’s explanatory statement

To ensure that bodies do not undertake unreasonable measures positive action to accommodate

unreasonable needs.

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’.

Dr Evan Harris

Lynne Featherstone

301

Clause  153,  page  113,  line  17,  leave out paragraph (b).

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Revised 30 June 2009