§ 34. Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford)If she will make a statement on the implementation of the Article 13 Directives on Race and Employment and the feasibility study on a single equality body. [76454]
§ The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Patricia Hewitt)Last week the Minister for Social Exclusion and Deputy Minister for Women) published a summary paper setting out the Government's plans to 1000 implement the race and employment directives, and a consultation paper on creating the right framework to support equality legislation.
§ Joan RuddockI thank my right hon. Friend for her reply. I received a letter from a female constituent who said:
The thought that my partner may be prevented from seeing me in hospital because she is not my next of kin is incredibly upsetting and frustrating.Inheritance tax, housing rights and pension benefits are just some of the inequalities that thousands of people in Britain face today. Does she anticipate that the changes in the legislation that she proposes will help my constituent?
§ Ms HewittMy hon. Friend raises an important point. The draft regulations to implement the directive on which we are consulting provide that where, for instance, a pension scheme provides benefits to unmarried partners, it will need to do so whether the partner is of the same sex or the opposite sex. We will also outlaw direct discrimination against same-sex couples. We are examining civil partnership registration and the associated rights and responsibilities, which as my hon. Friend knows, raise a number of complex issues. We are taking on board her concerns and those of her constituent.