Equality Bill [HL]

The noble Lord, Lord Lester of Herne Hill, is deeply knowledgeable about these matters, and I am sure that what he says is true, but not everyone who is confronted with the law, as it then will be, will know what Lord Diplock’s judgment 20 years ago was. It was fairly complicated. I would have thought that what my noble friend is suggesting is perfectly reasonable. You can take certain action if you have reasonable grounds for believing something, as opposed to just saying, ““I suspect that chap is doing something wrong, therefore I will investigate it””. I hope that the noble Baroness will give some consideration to the amendment proposed by my noble friend.