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Equality Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support the amendments tabled by my noble friend Lord Ouseley and I take account of the useful comments that the noble Baroness, Lady Lockwood, has just made. We are faced with a real opportunity to increase the confidence of the black and minority ethnic communities in their ability to access justice through this Equality Bill. It is worth reminding the House that these amendments tabled by my noble friend Lord Ouseley, supported by myself, are not simply the ideas of my noble friend and me. They come from the 1990 Trust—a well respected policy advice and research organisation which looks into the issues affecting the black and minority ethnic community—the Commission for Racial Equality and the Greater London Authority. None of those bodies has arrived at these amendments overnight. They have consulted widely among the black and minority ethnic communities and have arrived at these amendments with due support for the Government in their attempts to create a credible Equality Bill and a credible mechanism for addressing race within that Bill. Turning to the comments made by the noble Baroness, Lady Lockwood, it is possible that three-quarters of the commission could be assigned, but it is also possible that more than three-quarters of the commission could have no representation and therefore no respect from a large majority of the population who, in this day and age, we must engage in the debate on equalities. This House will debate issues concerning terrorism, mental health and many other issues that disproportionately affect members of the black and minority ethnic communities. We owe it to those communities to respect their views on how the Equality Bill will be received by them. I urge the House to think again about how appointments are made to the Equality Commission. I reflect on the amendments that the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor tabled. They try to be helpful in this regard, and they are noted as such, but one can drive a coach and horses through what they say. I agree with my noble friend Lord Ouseley that appointments will of course be made on merit, but will they also be made with due regard to the experience of those communities and will they reflect the genuine concerns of the BME community as regards this Bill?