Clause 46 - Premises
Equality Bill [Lords]
11:45 am
Evan Harris (Science, Non-Departmental & Cross Departmental Responsibilities; Oxford West and Abingdon, Liberal Democrat)
I invite the Minister to clarify what subsection (3) means in plain English. It states:
“It is unlawful for a person to discriminate against another by refusing permission for the disposal of premises to him.”
That is not subject to an exception under clause 47. I presume that it will prevent discrimination in the selling of a property or—and this is what I wanted to check—the renting of a property where the landlord is not living. I raise the point with particular reference to an advertisement that the Minister may be aware of, which attracted some controversy. I think that it was in a Catholic newspaper, and offered a tenancy only to Catholics. That received some attention, about 18 months ago, on the question whether it constituted the sort of discrimination that would not be permitted any more. It is clear that it is caught by the clause and it is not the subject of any exceptions under clause 47(1).