Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill — Clause 56 — Commission for Equality and Human Rights — 16 Apr 2013 at 17:15

Stewart Jackson MP, Peterborough voted to reduce the responsibilities of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, focusing them on more specific, rather than general, duties.

The majority of MPs voted to reduce the responsibilities of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, focusing them on more specific, rather than general, duties.

MPs were considering the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill[1]. The motion approved in this vote was:

  • That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 36.

Lords amendment 36 stated[2][3]:

  • Page 55, line 8, leave out subsection (6)

The subsection (6) in question, actually within Clause 65 on page 56[4][5], states:

  • (6) In section 12 (monitoring progress)
  • (a) in subsection (1)(a) for “the aim specified in section 3” substitute “the duties specified in sections 8 and 9”;
  • (b) in subsection (1)(b) for “the development of the society described in section 3” substitute “changes in society that are consistent with those duties”.

These relate to amendments to the Equality Act 2006 which establishes, and sets out the role of, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

The amendment proposes an apparently minor change in the way the commission is required to identify societal changes which may impact their area of responsibility.

The amendment removes two references to the "general duty" which states:

  • The Commission shall exercise its functions under this Part with a view to encouraging and supporting the development of a society in which—
  • (a)people's ability to achieve their potential is not limited by prejudice or discrimination,
  • (b)there is respect for and protection of each individual's human rights,
  • (c)there is respect for the dignity and worth of each individual,
  • (d)each individual has an equal opportunity to participate in society, and
  • (e)there is mutual respect between groups based on understanding and valuing of diversity and on shared respect for equality and human rights.

The amendment sought to replace the references to the above general duties with references to the commissions more specific duties in relation to "Equality and Diversity" and "Human Rights"; as it stood the Bill proposed repealing section 3 of the Equalities Act, which sets out the general duty of the Commission, entirely, Lords amendment 36, which was the subject of this vote, together with amendment 35, would have reversed that repeal.[6]

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Debate in Parliament | Source |

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Party Summary

Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.

What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.

What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.

What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.

PartyMajority (Aye)Minority (No)BothTurnout
Alliance0 10100.0%
Con270 (+1 tell) 2089.5%
DUP0 6075.0%
Green0 10100.0%
Independent0 10100.0%
Lab0 221 (+2 tell)086.8%
LDem42 (+1 tell) 2078.9%
PC0 30100.0%
SDLP0 2066.7%
SNP0 60100.0%
Total:312 245087.4%

Rebel Voters - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
Nicola BlackwoodOxford West and AbingdonCon (front bench)no
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)no
Alan BeithBerwick-upon-TweedLDem (front bench)no
John HemmingBirmingham, YardleyLDem (front bench)no

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