Clause 82 - General duty to promote equality, oposed [this day], That the clause stand part of the Bill.
Equality Bill [Lords]
1:00 pm
Meg Munn (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry; Sheffield, Heeley, Labour)
If the hon. Lady will allow me to continue, we will get a full answer to that shortly. It is an important point.
The exceptions of which I spoke—in relation to Parliament, for example—which preserve the full discretion of our law-making and security institutions, are justified. Subsection (2) of clause 83 amends the 1975 Act to make it necessary for the Secretary of State to consult the commission before making an order to add to the list of exceptions. Although it would be unusual, and certainly undesirable, for the Secretary of State not to make full use of the expertise and experience of the commission in this respect, the purpose of the requirement is to provide complete certainty that the commission's voice will be heard. Our proposals have been warmly welcomed. They constitute a vital leap in the field of gender equality and ensure that there is increasing confidence that public services will meet the differing needs of both men and women, and that all will benefit. I have explained those matters in detail, because I want the Committee to be clear about the importance of the public sector gender duty.
On the specific point raised by the hon. Lady, clauses 51 and 81 are not about making specific laws, but about public functions. The reason why the specification is in this clause is to do with the Scottish Parliament being in a position to make laws in the way that we do. If any further clarification on that is required, I am sure that we can provide it.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 82 ordered to stand part of the Bill.