---

Equality Bill [HL]

I had not intended to take part in this debate, but I felt that perhaps on this amendment I ought to say a few words because I feel quite strongly about it. I agree with the Minister that if a commission is set up to do a particular job, it must   not be constrained with all sorts of restrictions so that it cannot do its job properly. I agree that any commission which is set up should be free to organise itself in the best possible way without government or anyone else’s interference. If things go wrong, of course it is a matter for the Secretary of State, and perhaps Parliament, to intervene. I agree that it is the Secretary of State who should set up the commission and not anyone else. The only point to add is that I wish we would also give Parliament a say in who the chairman and the commissioners should be, following the American pattern. I want also to make this point. The Bill is not about privilege, but equality. The commission ought to concern itself with the equality of all people. It does not matter who they are, what they are, what is their ethnicity or whether they are disabled; the commission should ensure that all people are given an equal opportunity to enjoy life to the full. If we put restrictions on numbers by saying, for example, that 50   per cent of the commissioners should be women, what is to be done if the proportion of women should suddenly fall to 40 per cent? That also applies to trying to equate to the very many ethnic communities in this country these days. We will run into difficulties. I hope, therefore, that the noble Lord, Lord Ouseley, will not go too far along the path of what I believe is his wish to restrict the formation and activities of the commission. It should be independent and should work towards equality rather than privilege.