Equality Bill

I am grateful to the noble Lord for his positive intervention. I did not raise this before only because I had kept it in reserve until I had heard the Government’s response. Given the response that we have had from them, it seemed appropriate to throw in that suggestion in winding up. We suggested a code of practice when the task force was considering these matters, and it was taken up by the Disability Rights Commission when it was established. There were perhaps some preliminary discussions—I think it was floated with the Ministry of Defence—but it does not appear to have got off the ground. I am grateful to the noble Lord for his positive response to the suggestion, and I would be extremely grateful if the Government would pick this up to see if it would represent a way forward or out of the complete impasse at which we seem to be regarding the exemption.