Clause 4
Equality Bill
3:00 pm
Vera Baird (Solicitor General, Attorney General's Office; Redcar, Labour)
Let me make two points. I have reason to believe that I am a member of a group that would be socio-economically disadvantaged compared with the group that the hon. Lady is a member of. She would have to give me her lunch from time to time, if we enacted the provision, to put me right. It is not an unchangeable condition; it is not a characteristic. We want to encourage people no longer to be in disadvantaged socio-economic positions. We do not want to give them a right to stay there. It does not fit at all with any of the other characteristics. We need to root out the causes of socio-economic inequality, and that should be done not on an individual basis, but on a basis such as that set out in clause 1.
How will the hon. Lady define that? It is all very well to say, “I haven’t defined it because I want the Minister to do so, even though I think it’s a crazy concept.” Socio-economic deprivation is a relative concept. I am certainly more socio-economically deprived than the Queen, but does that mean that I should have some special protection? Some of those present may regard themselves as socio-economically deprived and may well take action, but against who? Against me because I am richer? I come from a very poor household, but do I still have some credit for that poverty, even though I have crossed the class barrier? It is impossible.