My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (Ed Balls) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am today publishing Sir Roger Singleton’s report on the vetting and barring scheme, Drawing the Line, together with the Government’s response. I am placing copies of both...

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (Ed Balls) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am today publishing Sir Roger Singleton’s report on the vetting and barring scheme, Drawing the Line, together with the Government’s response. I am placing copies of both...

I am today publishing Sir Roger Singleton's report on the vetting and barring scheme, "Drawing the Line", together with the Government's response. I am placing copies in the Libraries of both Houses. Parliament legislated for the new scheme in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and it received overwhelming support....

I am today publishing Sir Roger Singleton's report on the vetting and barring scheme, "Drawing the Line", together with the Government's response. I am placing copies in the Libraries of both Houses. Parliament legislated for the new scheme in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and it received overwhelming support....

May we have a debate on the application of the Criminal Records Bureau checks and what might be the law of unintended consequences? I have a sad constituency case involving a 13-year-old boy who was found guilty of a sexual offence. As a result his ambition to become a teacher...

May we have a debate on the application of the Criminal Records Bureau checks and what might be the law of unintended consequences? I have a sad constituency case involving a 13-year-old boy who was found guilty of a sexual offence. As a result his ambition to become a teacher...

The situation is being dealt with under legislation passed by the House. Sexual offending is often a repeat offence, which is why we have a system of registration. No doubt, cases such as the hon. Lady's will be caught by the law, but that law was passed by the House.

The situation is being dealt with under legislation passed by the House. Sexual offending is often a repeat offence, which is why we have a system of registration. No doubt, cases such as the hon. Lady's will be caught by the law, but that law was passed by the House.

That is not my understanding of the figures.

That is not my understanding of the figures.

I am against all bullying in all schools, as I am sure all other hon. Members are. The hon. Gentleman has cited high figures for certain types of bullying, but does he accept that there are high figures on almost every other kind of bullying too? The level of bullying...

I am against all bullying in all schools, as I am sure all other hon. Members are. The hon. Gentleman has cited high figures for certain types of bullying, but does he accept that there are high figures on almost every other kind of bullying too? The level of bullying...

I thank my hon. Friend for that helpful intervention. One can never learn enough facts that can be used to rally to the cause.

I thank my hon. Friend for that helpful intervention. One can never learn enough facts that can be used to rally to the cause.

I understand that the hon. Gentleman is speaking for himself and that it is his view that if one is in receipt of public funds and delivering a public service, one should not discriminate, and that therefore, for example, a Catholic adoption agency should not say that it will not...

I understand that the hon. Gentleman is speaking for himself and that it is his view that if one is in receipt of public funds and delivering a public service, one should not discriminate, and that therefore, for example, a Catholic adoption agency should not say that it will not...

A rare triumph! I have actually got a Member—a Liberal Democrat Member, I might add—to agree with me on a matter relating to the Equality Bill. I can leave this Chamber a happy man. Whatever else happens throughout the course of today, I shall be able to go to bed...

A rare triumph! I have actually got a Member—a Liberal Democrat Member, I might add—to agree with me on a matter relating to the Equality Bill. I can leave this Chamber a happy man. Whatever else happens throughout the course of today, I shall be able to go to bed...

There is plenty of evidence for my argument. I am quite happy to debate the merits or otherwise of the minimum wage with the hon. Gentleman, but given the time that we have available and the number of things that we want to get through, now might not be the...

There is plenty of evidence for my argument. I am quite happy to debate the merits or otherwise of the minimum wage with the hon. Gentleman, but given the time that we have available and the number of things that we want to get through, now might not be the...

I do not believe that there is going to be a change of Government, so if we do not get such a measure in the Bill, I will be back here fighting next time round. It is a general rule that we need such measures now. The longer we delay,...

I do not believe that there is going to be a change of Government, so if we do not get such a measure in the Bill, I will be back here fighting next time round. It is a general rule that we need such measures now. The longer we delay,...

I am very grateful to the Solicitor-General for that, but at the outset of my remarks I offered her a choice: put the provision either in the Bill or in secondary legislation. Guidance would not be enough, but secondary legislation certainly would be.

I am very grateful to the Solicitor-General for that, but at the outset of my remarks I offered her a choice: put the provision either in the Bill or in secondary legislation. Guidance would not be enough, but secondary legislation certainly would be.

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. I am pleased with the scrutiny and attention that hon. Members have given this important Bill. It has been considered for a considerable period in Committee and it has been improved in significant ways as a result...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. I am pleased with the scrutiny and attention that hon. Members have given this important Bill. It has been considered for a considerable period in Committee and it has been improved in significant ways as a result...

The theoretical possibility that the hon. and learned Lady just mentioned exists for all other terms and conditions of employment, but not for those connected with pay. Why, then, does she adopt this position, which seems to me inconsistent with what everyone agrees works well in the rest of discrimination...

The theoretical possibility that the hon. and learned Lady just mentioned exists for all other terms and conditions of employment, but not for those connected with pay. Why, then, does she adopt this position, which seems to me inconsistent with what everyone agrees works well in the rest of discrimination...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Since Labour introduced the tonnage tax, the volume of traffic under the British flag has trebled—a massive change. When we introduced the tax, the British flag register was so small that many people, the industry and the Chamber of Shipping included, thought that it...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Since Labour introduced the tonnage tax, the volume of traffic under the British flag has trebled—a massive change. When we introduced the tax, the British flag register was so small that many people, the industry and the Chamber of Shipping included, thought that it...

There are two questions: whether there should be a variety of providers delivering education or other public services, and whether they should discriminate. Plenty of faith schools do not discriminate. So why should one be allowed to discriminate in respect of either employment or the users of services, or pupils,...

There are two questions: whether there should be a variety of providers delivering education or other public services, and whether they should discriminate. Plenty of faith schools do not discriminate. So why should one be allowed to discriminate in respect of either employment or the users of services, or pupils,...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for Criminal Record Bureau checks that were in progress on 30 September of each year since 2006 had been made (a) less than one month previously, (b) between one and three months previously, (c) between three and...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for Criminal Record Bureau checks that were in progress on 30 September of each year since 2006 had been made (a) less than one month previously, (b) between one and three months previously, (c) between three and...

That is extremely helpful. I shall now discuss amendment 33, which stands in my name. Ministers have worked extremely hard on this legislation to try to attack harassment. I welcome the part of the Bill that seeks to outlaw harassment at work and tries to place duties on employers to...

That is extremely helpful. I shall now discuss amendment 33, which stands in my name. Ministers have worked extremely hard on this legislation to try to attack harassment. I welcome the part of the Bill that seeks to outlaw harassment at work and tries to place duties on employers to...

I am grateful for that helpful intervention about the situation in Northern Ireland, which the hon. Gentleman knows far more about than I do. I fear that the Government place regulation upon regulation on businesses, whether big or small. The thing in the House that causes me the most despair...

I am grateful for that helpful intervention about the situation in Northern Ireland, which the hon. Gentleman knows far more about than I do. I fear that the Government place regulation upon regulation on businesses, whether big or small. The thing in the House that causes me the most despair...