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Equality Bill [Lords]

I said to the hon. Gentleman that I wanted to proceed with my speech and that he might find that he did not need to intervene. If he still wishes to intervene, I shall happily give way before I sit down. Secondly, we want the provisions that cover transsexual people to benefit from the development, simplification and harmonisation that will be the outcome of the review. As hon. Members pointed out, the Government made sure that the EU gender directive on goods and services covered gender reassignment. That directive is due to be implemented by December 2007, and we have the option to use existing powers under the European Communities Act 1972 to make regulations to do so. We therefore already have two legislative vehicles to extend protection against discrimination to transsexual people, so further regulation-making powers are unnecessary.