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Equality Bill

My Lords, I think that I concur with what many have said in terms of the sensitivity relating to sexuality. However, there is a difference in terms of public representation between those people who are gay and those who are openly gay. There is a real differentiation to make when monitoring those people in public life who stand up and say, "I am gay", and those who have to hide their sexuality. I am not sure that people who are hiding their sexuality, for whatever reason, wherever they sit in terms of their parties, particularly represent me, as a gay man, in their party if they cannot bring themselves to say that they are gay. An issue that I would like the Minister to reflect on is that when we look at the categories that we are monitoring, there is a difference between being openly gay and being gay, for the purposes of candidates.