I want to make a few remarks about the abolition of the general duty.
It is sad that we are repealing the general duty under the Equality Act 2006. It was not plucked out of mid-air and something that the then Government suddenly decided to put into an Act of Parliament. Progress towards the Act was long and conciliatory and it worked for this Parliament and organisations outside it, yet under the guise of deregulation we are seeing the undoing of many years’ work, much consensus and much acceptance that the general duty laid out a set of values and principles for the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
I find it doubly sad that the Minister, who has apparently built up a reputation as a champion of equality, is having to justify this proposal today. The general duty sets out a unifying vision for society, which the EHRC must work towards. I find it disappointing that she dismissed the idea that aspiration could sit comfortably with some of the other specific duties of the EHRC. Unlike the Minister, I think that the general duty is fundamental to how the EHRC operates. It sets out the guiding principles and values of the EHRC. It had cross-party support and I suspect that if I checked the voting record of the Minister, I would probably find that she wholeheartedly supported that general duty in 2006, as did her party. Seven years on, what was achieved by working with her party and members of the other party in the coalition is dismissed as a burden on us all.
4.15 pm
Section 3 of the Equality Act 2006 brings equality and human rights together. It identifies the fact that we are defined not by our differences, but by our common humanity. To put that another way, it says, “We’re all in this equality game together.” That is what the Minister has failed to see. The Government have not defined what the EHRC would do better as a result of the abolition of the general duty. They have made an assertion, but they have proved nothing about the repeal of section 3.
We cannot consider the repeal of section 3 in isolation. As my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr Umunna) identified, the EHRC is undergoing tremendous change. It has had its budget cut by 60%, yet the stoics within the EHRC have said that they can continue to do some of the good work. It has been weakened by the withdrawal of many of the facilities that it offered, including a telephone helpline. Where do people go now? What will the Minister say to people who need the help and support of the Equality and Human Rights Commission? The general duty reflects the values that a modern society should aspire to.