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Equality Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that response and also noble Lords who contributed to this debate, including the noble Lord, Lord Lester, for his help over the technical side of the amendment. As I said when I introduced it, I had some doubts as to the way in which I had gone about it. I knew what I wanted to achieve, but I was not certain whether my wording had achieved it. It is quite clear now that it has not achieved what I wanted. That being so, and in the light of the assurances given by my noble friend—I accept and know that she does take these issues very seriously—I am very willing to withdraw the amendment. There will be another opportunity to come back to this issue in later amendments, tabled in the names of my noble friend Lord Alli and the noble Lord, Lord Lester. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.