Equality Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 212:"Page 42, line 32, at end insert—" ““(4)   The provisions of Parts II to IV of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 shall apply to proceedings against the Crown under this Part as they apply to proceedings in England and Wales which by virtue of section 23 of that Act are treated for the purposes of Part II of that Act as civil proceedings by or against the Crown; but section 20 of that Act (removal of proceedings from county court to High Court) shall not apply to proceedings under this Part. (5)   The provisions of Part V of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 shall apply to proceedings against the Crown under this Part as they apply to proceedings in Scotland which by virtue of the said Part are treated as civil proceedings by or against the Crown; but the proviso to section 44 of that Act (removal of proceedings from the sheriff court to the Court of Session) shall not apply to proceedings under this Part.”” The noble Baroness said: The intention behind the amendment is to bring the provisions of Part 2 into line with other equality legislation, as regards the position of the Crown. It replicates Sections 75(6) and (7) of the Race Relations Act and Sections 85(8) and (9) of the Sex Discrimination Act. The effect will be to ensure that any proceedings against Her Majesty under Part 2 of the Bill are subject to the provisions of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947. I am sure that the Committee will agree about the importance of ensuring provisions of Her Majesty’s Acts of a private nature are in line with established and accepted equality legislation. I beg to move. On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 78, as amended, agreed to. Clause 79 [Interpretation]: