Equality Act 2010: Code of Practice

Baroness Davies of Devonport Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

I think the noble Baroness knows my position. As I said at the beginning, the Equality Act is good law. The Gender Recognition Act is good law. The Supreme Court has made an interpretation in respect of single-sex spaces, which we should comply with. The Supreme Court ruling explicitly stated that trans people remain fully protected by the Equality Act from discrimination and harassment. We are proud of the Equality Act and have no plans to change it. We have had this incredibly toxic debate for some time. Let us now settle it once and for all and get back to understanding the needs of individuals rather than using them as a political football.

[Baroness Davies of Devonport (Con)]

My Lords, I have a very specific question. We are talking about not being able to challenge somebody who is a biological male. If there is a game of rugby, a women’s team turns up and they think there is a male on the other side, how on earth are they supposed to prevent themselves being in serious danger if they are not allowed to ask?

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

You are not going to ask on the football pitch or the rugby pitch. In the code, there are respectful ways to ask certain questions. It is not done, as the noble Lord pointed out, by saying, “Well, you can’t go in that toilet”. Governing bodies have their rules and processes. The code is quite clear about how such things are done. I say to the noble Baroness: read the code and better understand its implications.