Equality Bill [HL]

Before the noble Baroness sits down, I have listened with enormous interest to what has been said. The noble Baroness has tried to answer the concerns, and she says that she will look at the matter. I would just say to her that if one goes as a Christian to a funeral at a crematorium and finds that there is no cross to look at as one puts one’s loved one to the flames, it is very distressing. It may well be that it is distressing to a person of some other religion—perhaps a Muslim—to find a cross there. Is there is solution to that? The Government, having got into the issue, must confront it. For a number of years I was responsible for the religious policy of the Girl Guides Association. Girls were encouraged to deepen their own faith, whatever it was—faiths from all over the world. Ways had to be found to solve the problem. Often, they had to do with objects—visual aids or whatever. A great deal of work needs to be done. Having got into this issue, the Government must confront it. Public authorities can cause offence in that way and, in trying to be politically correct and stick to the legislation, they will get it wrong. It is up to the Government to face up to that and try to find ways round. I cannot think how they will do it, but they must. I hope that the noble Baroness, who I know understands these matters deeply and herself minds very much, will be able to find a way.