DISCRIMINATION BY PUBLIC AUTHORITIES (Hansard, 18 November 1998)

§ Mr. Paul Murphy
I beg to move, That this House agrees with the Lords in the said amendment.

Mr. Deputy Speaker
With this, it will be convenient to discuss Lords amendments Nos. 145 to 156 and 385.

§ Mr. Murphy
Lords amendments Nos. 144 to 149 relate to clause 61, which prevents discrimination by public authorities on the grounds of religious belief or political opinion. They are all technical amendments that improve the comprehensiveness and consistency of the clause's provisions.
The group of six amendments—Lords amendments Nos. 150 to 155—all relate to clause 62, which prevents organisations from requiring individuals to make certain oaths and declarations. They, too, are all simple, technical and drafting amendments.
Lords amendment No. 156 relates to clause 63, and slightly increases the circumstances in which restrictions or investigations into complaints should not apply. The restrictions will, as a consequence of the amendment, 1071 not apply to investigations into the aiding and inciting of discrimination and will not apply to investigations into discrimination itself.
Lords amendment No. 385 is a technical amendment to schedule 14.
In moving the Lords amendments, I should like to commend the organisations and parties that have in the past few months been consulted by the Government and had many discussions and negotiations with me and my ministerial colleagues. They have very positively helped to strengthen the Bill.