Clause 4
Equality Bill
2:15 pm
Vera Baird (Solicitor General, Attorney General's Office; Redcar, Labour)
Amendment 6 would add paternity to the list of characteristics. Amendment 138 would extend the period of time a woman is protected from maternity discrimination in non-work cases. Amendments 139 and 141 would give men the same protection against paternity discrimination in non-work cases. Amendments 140, 149 and 151 would give men protection from paternity discrimination in the workplace for the period from when their child was conceived to 52 weeks after birth. Amendment 150 would give new fathers protection from discrimination for taking, or trying to take, paternity leave. Amendment 152 would prohibit indirect discrimination where the relevant protected characteristic is parenthood.
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but paternity would apply to men only. There are clear and well established reasons why women need protection against pregnancy and maternity discrimination, but there is no equivalent evidence to suggest a problem where men are discriminated against outside the workplace, particularly if they are new fathers. As my colleague put it to me last night, what the lads usually do is take a new father out for a drink; they do not start to discriminate against him. We have not found any evidence to suggest a new strand that needs protecting.
We would add characteristics if there was a need. We recognise that fathers as well as mothers should spend the time they need with their families and be able to balance work and family life, but discrimination law is not the way to tackle that. There is separate provision, alluded to by the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green, which advances the cause of balancing work and life, and we will continue with that. When rights are given, they will of course be in the legislation that gives remedies in case those rights are breached.