Equality and Diversity (Reform) Bill — Second Reading — Positive Discrimination — 21 Oct 2011 at 13:20

The majority of MPs voted to allow public bodies to positively discriminate during recruitment and appointment processes in favour of groups of people based on age, sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, disability, religion, socio-economic status of members; and for the continuation of the exemption from equalities law permiting political parties to discriminate on the basis of sex to attempt to reduce inequality in the numbers of men and women elected.

MPs were considering the Equality and Diversity (Reform) Bill^[1]. The motion rejected in this vote was:

• That the Bill be now read a Second time.

The rejection of the motion meant the Bill made no further progress towards becoming law.

The Bill sought to:

• Prohibit public authorities promoting or engaging in positive action when recruiting employees and making appointments; with positive actio defined as action intended to give a benefit or encouragement to a particular group based on the age, sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, disability, religion, socio-economic status of members of that group of people.
• Repeal the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002 which excludes political parties selecting candidates from the provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 allowing discrimination on the basis of sex "for the purpose of reducing inequality in the numbers of men and women elected, as candidates of the party, to be members of the body concerned".

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• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Equality and Diversity (Reform) Bill

Debate in Parliament | Source |