---

Identity Cards Bill

As the noble Baroness has explained, the amendment would place on the face of the Bill a subsection which would make it unlawful to discriminate against an individual in cases falling within Clause 18(2). I am happy to say that this amendment is unnecessary. The Race Relations Act, the Sex Discrimination Act, the Disability Discrimination Act and the Human Rights Act will all apply in the normal way to prevent requirements for production of cards being made in a discriminatory way. The danger of accepting the noble Baroness’s amendment is that by restating the duty to avoid discrimination here we might cast doubt on whether it applies generally to the remainder of the Act, and so it is unnecessary. The Race Relations Act will apply to the administration of the identity cards scheme because the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 extended its remit to cover the actions of public authorities—the Human Rights Act already binds public authorities. There is nothing on the face of the Bill which would override the application of the legislation ensuring equal treatment and prohibiting discrimination. As ever with enabling legislation, the key to compatibility is the manner in which the scheme is administered. The Government fully intend to administer the scheme in a non-discriminatory manner. I am sure that the noble Baroness will be aware that discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is already prohibited in some cases. The Equality Bill currently before the House contains power to prohibit such discrimination more generally. The law on discrimination will apply in relation to identity cards as it does to other aspects of life. It is neither necessary nor desirable to make specific provision here, so, having heard that explanation, I therefore ask the noble Baroness to withdraw the amendment.