HL Deb 18 June 2003 vol 649 cc119-20WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

To what extent have the submissions received on their draft equality regulations argued for (a) the use of primary rather than secondary legislation, or (b) a single Equality Act extending beyond the employment field. [HL2813]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)

Of 620 responses toEquality and Diversity: The Way ahead (published in October 2002), 18 (3 per cent) said they would have preferred the Government to use primary legislation rather than secondary legislation as a way of implementing the Employment and Race Directive. 16 responses (3 per cent) suggested that new legislation on (sexual orientation, religion and age) should extend beyond the field of employment. In both cases, the responses came from unions, faith groups and other representative bodies.

One hundred and six (39 per cent) respondents to the parallel consultation on the future of Great Britain's equality institutions, Equality and Diversity—Making it Happen, argued for measures to harmonise anti-discrimination legislation, in particular through a single Equality Act.