New clause 11 - Harassment by third parties
Equality Bill [Lords]
1:30 pm
Sandra Gidley (Women & Older People, Non-Departmental & Cross Departmental Responsibilities; Romsey, Liberal Democrat)
The new clause was tabled partly to try to establish the Government's thinking. At this stage of Committee deliberations, after many accusations about the Opposition and inequalities in the Equality Bill, and after my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon was taken to task this morning for using the phrase ''hierarchy of inequalities'', it seems ironic that we should always have a counter-accusation.
I understand the difficulties with the third party, but it strikes me that there are probably many cases in which potential problems are highlighted and ignored—for example, a woman attendant who does not feel safe from harassment in a particular environment. That problem could be drawn to the employer's attention and knowingly not dealt with, because the employer knows that there is no redress. The new clause would have been helpful in such situations, but I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion.
Motion and clause, by leave, withdrawn.