I think that the Solicitor-General is mistaken. Clearly, the provision could be used in that way, given that it is also possible to discriminate in favour of women to rebalance the work force on gender grounds. That would be entirely possible, and she seems to have a misplaced confidence that that could never happen. Either she must believe that no employer would ever want to discriminate against ethnic minorities, in which case the Bill would be clearly unnecessary, or she must believe that some people wish to discriminate on those grounds, in which case she is giving them a tool by which they can do so if they wish.
Equality Bill
Proceeding contribution from
Lord Brady of Altrincham
(Conservative)
in the House of Commons on Monday, 11 May 2009.
It occurred during Debate on bills on Equality Bill.
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
492 c605 
Session
2008-09
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
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Timestamp
2024-04-21 11:36:34 +0100
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