Equality Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:30 am on 23 June 2009.
Lynne Featherstone
Shadow Minister (Children, Schools and Families), Liberal Democrat Spokeperson (Children, Schools and Families)
I beg to move Amendment 199, in schedule 6, page 170, line 9, at end insert
‘or other authorities of the GLA family’.
An amendment to clarify that elected members of GLA authorities (MPA, LFEPA etc.) are to be treated in the same way as members of the GLA.
This really follows on from the clause 2 amendment where we attempted to include the Greater London authority in the socio-economic duty. There seems to be a similar anomaly, so I am trying to get the Minister to clarify whether elected members of the GLA authorities, which include the Metropolitan Police Authority and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, will be treated in the same way as the members of the GLA itself.
Vera Baird
Solicitor General, Attorney General's Office
Paragraph 2 of the schedule excludes political offices from the protection—available under clauses 46 to 48—against discrimination, harassment and victimisation. The provision ensures that essentially political matters, such as appointment to council offices or indeed to ministerial offices, do not come before a tribunal. There is a carefully drawn exclusion of specific offices in specific political settings, which include GLA offices held by the Mayor and members of the assembly. That is obviously a good thing.
The connection between election and offices in places such as the MPA is not so clear. Protection for people holding offices in such bodies will be available in any case only if the office satisfies the definition of a personal or public office for the purposes of clauses 46 to 48, or if it fits under any other provision in part 5, but it will not arise as a result of election.
The Amendment would cause confusion between members of the authorities mentioned in it, some of whom are elected, although many are not. We think it would complicate the provision. In essence, the provision protects people who are elected, as opposed to those who get to their office in some different way, and it would be unlawfully regressive if the amendment were accepted.
The hon. Lady has made her point; she has probed the issue. I hope that she now appreciates the complexity of the matter and I invite her to withdraw the amendment.
Lynne Featherstone
Shadow Minister (Children, Schools and Families), Liberal Democrat Spokeperson (Children, Schools and Families)
I have listened carefully to the Minister. To clarify, is she saying that if someone is elected to the GLA and then appointed to the MPA, which is what happens to elected members on the GLA, they will not be protected?
Vera Baird
Solicitor General, Attorney General's Office
If it was a personal or public office, or if they were in employment, but otherwise not.
Lynne Featherstone
Shadow Minister (Children, Schools and Families), Liberal Democrat Spokeperson (Children, Schools and Families)
Okay. On that basis, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.
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In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
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A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
