Clause 78
Equality Bill
5:15 pm
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey and Wood Green, Liberal Democrat)
The amendment is probing to establish to what extent volunteers have the same protection from discrimination as employees, and I hope that they have the same protections. Obviously, the discrimination could not be between paid and non-paid workers, but volunteers often have expenses, such as those for travel and lunch. I am sure that there should be no discrimination between someone with a disability, an ethnic minority person or a woman getting differential expenses, but I would like that matter clarified, because it is unclear to me whether volunteers will be protected from discrimination. I am not sure whether the service or the type of employment will be protected by part 3 when providing goods and services, but it is clear that those who offer their services for free should not be discriminated against, and I would be grateful if the Government clarified that.