Clause 79

Part of Equality Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 7:15 pm on 23 June 2009.

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Photo of Evan Harris Evan Harris Shadow Science Minister 7:15, 23 June 2009

I will not pursue that point. I assume that something in the corresponding schedule makes it clear that one cannot exclude a pupil on the grounds of maternity under sex discrimination provisions. However, the Solicitor-General did not say why that was. She did not address my example of admission. Notwithstanding the public sector duty, a school would have the right not to admit a pupil simply on the basis that she was pregnant under discrimination law. As such a person would not be the school’s pupil, which is the term the Solicitor-General used in explanation of the public sector duty and the teenage pregnancy code, it is not clear why the school could not do that. I do not see why we should not use the opportunity of discrimination legislation to deal with that issue if we can. I would be grateful if she addressed the issue of admission.

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