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Equality Bill

My Lords, as noble Lords know, I have never been keen on women-only shortlists, but I have gradually changed my position, and I suspect that that has been the case for quite a number of your Lordships. This is a step in the right direction. We are gradually changing and it would be good to have some facts and figures, however much they may be distorted, inaccurate and so on. We change our position on religion or whatever it happens to be several times in our lifetime. It is the thrust of the movement that is important. I applaud the approach of the noble Baroness, Lady Morris, which she put very well indeed. These are sensitive areas, and it is right that people should not be forced to say what they are not prepared to say. However, if we have facts and figures, it will, as the noble Lord, Lord Alli, said, encourage people to be more open about their gayness and the other issues that we are talking about. I want a more representative Parliament and more representative local authorities. Like the noble Baroness, Lady Morris, I think it will be splendid when we get to the time where we do not blink when a minority candidate is elected in an almost totally white constituency. I think this is right, and I hope we do it.