§ Ms. RichardsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether, in the light of the Equal Opportunities Commission's recent report, he will consider introducing an equal treatment Bill giving women positive equality rights in law;
(2) whether, in the light of the Equal Opportunities Commission's recent report, he will consider introducing legislation banning discrimination in private clubs where there is a male and female membership;
(3) whether, in the light of the Equal Opportunities Commission's recent report, he will consider seeking to strengthen and widen the Commission's powers to initiate formal investigations;
(4) whether, in the light of the Equal Opportunities Commission's recent report, he will consider (a) introducing means of improving training in sex discrimination law of tribunal members and (b) including at least one woman member on each panel;
(5) whether, in the light of the Equal Opportunities Commission's recent report, he will consider legislation to obtain equal pay for work of equal value in the event of forthcoming legal judgments not providing this outcome;
(6) whether, in the light of the Equal Opportunities Commission's recent report, he will consider seeking to combine the present Equal Pay and Sex Discrimination Acts;
(7) whether, in the light of the Equal Opportunities Commission's recent report, he will consider introducing legislation to place a duty upon local authorities and other public bodies to operate a system of contract compliance to eliminate sex discrimination.
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§ Mr. John PattenThe Equal Opportunities Commission's proposals were published on 8 March. We will be giving its recommendations careful consideration in consultation with colleagues.