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Equality Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 166:"Page 41, line 16, leave out sub-paragraph (ii) and insert—" ““(ii)   qualified to practice as a solicitor in Scotland.”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, in brief, the purpose of the amendments is to ensure that the qualification requirement for solicitors to be eligible for appointment as a special advocate in a race, sex, disability or religion or belief discrimination case is broadly equivalent for solicitors practising in Scotland, England and Wales. The national security provisions in the Bill concern hearings about discrimination matters that may be heard in the county courts in England and Wales and in the sheriff court in Scotland. All Scottish solicitors have rights of audience in the sheriff court, and it is therefore unnecessary to limit appointments by the Advocate General under the provisions to solicitors who have rights of audience in the High Court or Court of Session in Scotland. We are grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Carnegy of Lour, who is not present tonight, and to the noble Duke, the Duke of Montrose, who brought the need to make the amendments to our attention by tabling similar amendments to those included in this group in Committee. Finally, the amendments also make some minor technical changes to ensure that the provisions relating to procedures for appointing special advocates in discrimination cases are consistent across all the Acts in which they appear. I beg to move.