Equality Bill [HL]

I shall be reasonably brief because there is an interesting and ongoing debate about how best to deal with persistent discrimination and issues around Section 73, which I have described in my notes to myself as a little tricky to get right. There is no doubt that the streamlined process is interesting; we need to consider carefully what the noble Lord, Lord Lester, has put forward. As I understand it—my noble friend will correct me if I am wrong, I am sure—the Equal Opportunities Commission likes the proposal but it does not take forward the Section 73 powers in the way in which it sees them. We need further conversations on the issue with the Equal Opportunities Commission, the noble Lord, my noble friend if she were willing to participate, and any other noble Lords who wish to do so. However, I suspect that it may be a slightly internal discussion. I shall keep the noble Baroness, Lady Miller, fully informed of what we conclude. Rather than taking the time of the Committee to go through all the different issues, the best thing is for us to have that dialogue and see whether we can find a way through that meets all our objectives, which are fundamentally the same. I hope that on that basis the noble Lord will allow the clause to stand part of the Bill.