---

Equality Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am not altogether happy about this amendment. I mentioned the Beaver Scouts before. I suppose I was once a Scout and a Cub, but I cannot remember any more. I think I was, somewhere in north London. Anyhow, I am unhappy. I suppose the Scouts are a charity, but if they make a statement saying you have to be Christian, and then they muck about in the way I suggested happened in the case where an atheist was told he could not look after young people unless he pretended to be a Christian, that is an example of the kind of abuse this could lead to. It would probably end up in litigation. I understand why this provision is there, but I would not like it to apply to new organisations in our multi-religious, multi-faith world. I can see all kinds of examples in the non-Christian area. I am certainly not opposing the amendment, but I am glad that how it works in practice will be considered as part of the discrimination law review. I have my doubts.