Equality Bill

My Lords, I am extremely grateful. I share the concerns expressed by the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, about wider inequalities that cannot be removed, but this is a very modest mouse of a series of proposals that are needed to scrap some archaic laws. It does not seek like a lion to sweep away all inequality against women, although I wish it could. The very fact that the Bill team could produce answers immediately to highly technical questions reminds me that I should apologise through the Committee to them for having singled out two members of the team for special praise. I am reminded that they are a team as a whole; by singling out two of them, I did not mean in any way to discriminate against the others. As for scrutiny of ratification of human rights treaties, or any treaties, the House knows that for years I have been saying that we need a mechanism in this House for a treaty scrutiny committee. I am delighted that the Ponsonby rule has been firmed up as it has, but it needs to be made stronger. Finally, above all, I thank the Minister and noble Lords very much for accepting the amendments. Amendment 129ZA agreed. Amendments 129ZB to 129ZD Moved by