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Equality Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 197:"Page 32, line 31, leave out ““or”” and insert ““other than section 48, or by virtue of a provision””" The noble Baroness said: Amendment No. 197 is a minor technical amendment that resolves an infelicity in the drafting of the Bill. It is the intention of the Government that goods, facilities and services provided by public authorities should be subject to the provisions of Clause 54 of the Bill, reflecting the standards that we believe are rightly expected of public authorities. In order to achieve this, Clause 48(4)(a) includes an express exception from that clause for goods, facilities and services provided by a person exercising a public function. The difficulty arises from   the exception contained in Clause 54(4)(j)(ii), which   excepts from Clause 54 any action which would be unlawful by virtue of another provision of Part 2 or   of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, but for an express exception. Clause   48(4)(a) is such an exception. Our amendment makes it clear that Clause 48 is not covered by the exception at Clause 54. It ensures that the provision of goods, facilities and services by public authorities is covered under Clause 54. The amendment corrects a technical error in the Bill. I suggest that the amendment should be accepted and I beg to move. On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 54, as amended, agreed to. Clause 55 [Discriminatory practices]: