My Lords, It is unfortunately the case that equality legislation, while giving certain people new rights, has deprived others of theirs. It has also been misinterpreted and misused, sometimes by troublemakers but more often by well-meaning and overenthusiastic people who only half understand the legislation that we have passed. It...

My Lords, It is unfortunately the case that equality legislation, while giving certain people new rights, has deprived others of theirs. It has also been misinterpreted and misused, sometimes by troublemakers but more often by well-meaning and overenthusiastic people who only half understand the legislation that we have passed. It...

I, of course, share many of the sentiments of the noble Lord, Lord Alton, about some of the ludicrous examples that he has given. I very much hope, as does Shami Chakrabarti, that the appeal be won in relation to British Airways—it is sub judice, but I think I can...

I, of course, share many of the sentiments of the noble Lord, Lord Alton, about some of the ludicrous examples that he has given. I very much hope, as does Shami Chakrabarti, that the appeal be won in relation to British Airways—it is sub judice, but I think I can...

My Lords, I am grateful for the broad support from all Benches for the government amendments. My noble friend Lady Wilkins expressed a fear that the Bill does not provide an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people in schools. I assure her that our intention has always...

My Lords, I am grateful for the broad support from all Benches for the government amendments. My noble friend Lady Wilkins expressed a fear that the Bill does not provide an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people in schools. I assure her that our intention has always...

58ZA: Schedule 3, page 137, line 42, at end insert— "(g) the celebration or marking of any religious festival; (h) the display or presentation of any holy book, religious symbol or religious object; (i) the saying of prayers; (j) the arrangements for funding, or contracting with, a religious organisation."

58ZA: Schedule 3, page 137, line 42, at end insert— "(g) the celebration or marking of any religious festival; (h) the display or presentation of any holy book, religious symbol or religious object; (i) the saying of prayers; (j) the arrangements for funding, or contracting with, a religious organisation."

I tabled Amendment 58ZA as a practical response to a real and growing problem. Although I attended much of the Second Reading debate on the Bill, I was unable to remain until the end and observed the convention not to speak at that time. Having followed the Committee proceedings with...

I tabled Amendment 58ZA as a practical response to a real and growing problem. Although I attended much of the Second Reading debate on the Bill, I was unable to remain until the end and observed the convention not to speak at that time. Having followed the Committee proceedings with...

As another example, could the noble Lord explain which bit of the present law he thinks is coercive and incompatible with the views he has expressed—which I largely share—and why he thinks his amendment is therefore necessary?

As another example, could the noble Lord explain which bit of the present law he thinks is coercive and incompatible with the views he has expressed—which I largely share—and why he thinks his amendment is therefore necessary?

We strongly support the government amendments. I just add that when the noble Lord, Lord Low, sounds the trumpet, we all follow him in this area. I am delighted that the Government have done so.

We strongly support the government amendments. I just add that when the noble Lord, Lord Low, sounds the trumpet, we all follow him in this area. I am delighted that the Government have done so.

We welcome these amendments from the Government and thank the Minister for her introduction to them. Effectively, these amendments are about auxiliary aids and services in schools. The combined effect would be to remove the existing exception in the Bill, whereby a local authority or school is not required to...

We welcome these amendments from the Government and thank the Minister for her introduction to them. Effectively, these amendments are about auxiliary aids and services in schools. The combined effect would be to remove the existing exception in the Bill, whereby a local authority or school is not required to...

My Lords, I wish to speak to Amendments 58, 107, 108 and 108EA. Currently, local authorities and schools are not under the DDA duty to consider auxiliary aids in relation to disabled school pupils, and that position is mirrored in the Equality Bill. This group of amendments will reverse that...

My Lords, I wish to speak to Amendments 58, 107, 108 and 108EA. Currently, local authorities and schools are not under the DDA duty to consider auxiliary aids in relation to disabled school pupils, and that position is mirrored in the Equality Bill. This group of amendments will reverse that...

My Lords, I strongly welcome these amendments, which implement a key recommendation of the Lamb review, and the Disability Rights Commission review of Part 4 of the DDA which was back in 2007. Too many disabled children face barriers to participation in learning and school life, because if they do...

My Lords, I strongly welcome these amendments, which implement a key recommendation of the Lamb review, and the Disability Rights Commission review of Part 4 of the DDA which was back in 2007. Too many disabled children face barriers to participation in learning and school life, because if they do...

My Lords, I am not sure whether this is on the internet, so I look forward to the reply from the Minister. However, I would still raise the issue that I am raising. It concerns me that these matters are still out for consultation. Surely it would have been more...

My Lords, I am not sure whether this is on the internet, so I look forward to the reply from the Minister. However, I would still raise the issue that I am raising. It concerns me that these matters are still out for consultation. Surely it would have been more...

58: Schedule 3, page 137, line 27, leave out paragraph (b)

58: Schedule 3, page 137, line 27, leave out paragraph (b)

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply. There has been some clarification, but I note with concern that the authoritative code to which the noble Baroness refers and the guidance are still to be forthcoming. That appears to be a feature of this Bill, which has been a...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply. There has been some clarification, but I note with concern that the authoritative code to which the noble Baroness refers and the guidance are still to be forthcoming. That appears to be a feature of this Bill, which has been a...

Many of the draft codes of practice are now on the internet for consultation, so I refer noble Lords there. I am not absolutely certain that the specific code to which this clause refers is on the internet, but I shall verify that and come back to the noble Baroness.

Many of the draft codes of practice are now on the internet for consultation, so I refer noble Lords there. I am not absolutely certain that the specific code to which this clause refers is on the internet, but I shall verify that and come back to the noble Baroness.

My Lords, we considered this same amendment in Committee in the other place, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss it again. The reasonable adjustment duty is an essential cornerstone of the protection for disabled people contained in the Bill. This amendment would import into the Bill similar language to...

My Lords, we considered this same amendment in Committee in the other place, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss it again. The reasonable adjustment duty is an essential cornerstone of the protection for disabled people contained in the Bill. This amendment would import into the Bill similar language to...

57B: Schedule 2, page 132, leave out lines 25 to 27 and insert— "( ) to remove the feature, or ( ) to alter the feature, or ( ) to provide a reasonable means of avoiding the feature, or ( ) to provide a reasonable method of providing the service...

57B: Schedule 2, page 132, leave out lines 25 to 27 and insert— "( ) to remove the feature, or ( ) to alter the feature, or ( ) to provide a reasonable means of avoiding the feature, or ( ) to provide a reasonable method of providing the service...

My Lords, this is something for which I called at Second Reading, so I naturally very much welcome the Government bringing forward these amendments today. Indeed, I could hardly do otherwise, since I see that my name has been added to the government amendment. It got there by a rather...

My Lords, this is something for which I called at Second Reading, so I naturally very much welcome the Government bringing forward these amendments today. Indeed, I could hardly do otherwise, since I see that my name has been added to the government amendment. It got there by a rather...

60ZB: Clause 37, page 20, line 25, leave out subsection (1)

60ZB: Clause 37, page 20, line 25, leave out subsection (1)

60ZA: Schedule 3, page 146, line 19, at end insert— "( ) But provision by virtue of subsection (1) may not amend this Schedule— (a) so as to omit an exception in paragraph 1, 2 or 3; (b) so as to reduce the extent to which an exception in paragraph...

60ZA: Schedule 3, page 146, line 19, at end insert— "( ) But provision by virtue of subsection (1) may not amend this Schedule— (a) so as to omit an exception in paragraph 1, 2 or 3; (b) so as to reduce the extent to which an exception in paragraph...

My Lords, Schedule 3 currently contains a power for a Minister of the Crown to make an order varying, removing or adding to the exceptions to the services and public functions provisions in Part 3. This power is necessary to allow changes to be made in response to unforeseen circumstances...

My Lords, Schedule 3 currently contains a power for a Minister of the Crown to make an order varying, removing or adding to the exceptions to the services and public functions provisions in Part 3. This power is necessary to allow changes to be made in response to unforeseen circumstances...