Clause 43 - Religion and belief
Equality Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Paul Goggins (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Wythenshawe and Sale East, Labour)
It is very welcome to see you in the Chair, Mrs. Anderson. I do not think that I have been a Minister under your chairpersonship before. I look forward to that, as indeed I look forward to further probing from the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve) and, no doubt, probing and other remarks and comments from my hon. Friends. I do not wish to detain the Committee on this clause, although, as the hon. Gentleman suggests, it is at the heart of all the debates that we are likely to have over the succeeding Committee sittings. The definition of religion that we have adopted is necessarily broad. It accords with article 9 of the European convention on human rights. I look forward to further discussions on the implications of the definitions that we have adopted as our proceedings unfold.