Clause 18 Prohibition on requirements to produce identity cards
Identity Cards Bill
3:15 pm
Tony McNulty (Minister of State (Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality), Home Office; Harrow East, Labour)
In essence, the amendment seeks to ensure that the Bill is in full compliance with all extant and live statues. I have yet to see the clause that says, “For the purposes of this Bill, the following statutes are not applicable”, followed by a list including the Sex Discrimination Act 1986, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and so on. The Bill must be in full compliance with all existing legislation. That is as it should be.
I understand the hon. Gentleman’s motive, but what he wants is wrong and unnecessary, not least because he is seeking—this is the case in terms of where we are as of this date, or at least where we get to with commencement of the Bill, should it become an Act—to ensure that only the elements that are germane to legislation now should prevail. I am not sure that there is a provision in the Equality Bill that is before the House or soon will be, but sexuality may well become another area that pushes on the body of discrimination legislation. If we agree to the amendment, regardless of whether there is a subsequent Act, such measures would not apply in his terms.
I am not saying that there is a deliberate ruse behind the amendment, but I think that it is right and proper—I thank the hon. Gentleman for allowing me to use this opportunity to say so—that the Bill, along with all the others that will hopefully become Acts, must be fully compliant with everything already on the statute book, unless something says otherwise. That is not the case, so it is compliant. Whether we are talking about the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, race relations, the Human Rights Act 1998 or all elements of anti-discriminatory legislation, we will ensure that the Bill is fully compliant when it is enacted and duly takes effect.
I understand the hon. Gentleman’s motives, but other issues remain afoot, even with all that legislation in place, on which we need to be very careful, not least in respect of what was said earlier about those who are most vulnerable and discriminated against in some way, such as by the authority at the consent point with regard to those with a learning disability. We need to pick up such matters in compliance with other assorted legislation through the established regulations.
The reasons for the amendment are utterly commendable, but the substance of the amendment is utterly unnecessary. I commend the hon. Gentleman on the spirit behind the amendment, but I ask him to seek leave to withdraw it because such matters are already embraced in the Bill.