Equality Bill

I cannot, in all honesty, answer the noble Lord’s question. I know that the basis for the Government’s amendment was discussions, not just within the Speaker’s Conference but around the amendment tabled by one of my honourable friends in the other place, which had the support of many other parties. I am going to answer as best I can some of the points made this evening. I am then going to take back the Government’s amendment and reflect on various aspects of it. It will not necessarily be changed a great deal when I bring it back but I will reflect on it further. I wish to make one or two other points. We have talked about whether prospective candidates should have to declare their sexuality. My noble friend Lord Alli made an interesting and important point about whether there should be a category of those who are gay and openly gay. All these things need to be reflected on. I concur with the noble Baroness, Lady Morris, about the discussions that have taken place with Stonewall, which is very sensitive to these issues. Stonewall agrees with the Government and the right honourable Theresa May that the non-mandatory monitoring of sexual orientation in Parliament is important. With careful safeguards in place to protect people’s identity, Stonewall believes it is the right step, and it is the body that is most sensitive to these issues.