European Union (Withdrawal) Bill

Baroness Fookes Excerpts

Report: 6th sitting (Hansard): House of Lords
Tuesday 8th May 2018 Lords Chamber

Amendments 72B to 72G agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker (Baroness Fookes) (Con)]

If Amendment 72H is agreed to, I cannot call Amendment 73 by reason of pre-emption.

Amendment 72H

Moved by

--- Later in debate ---

These amendments are needed now, more than ever, owing to the Government’s rejection of Amendment 30A, introduced by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Wallace of Tankerness, which I supported. That amendment would have included a principle of non-regression in relation to equality rights in the Bill. These rather more modest amendments also seek to ensure that the withdrawal of the UK from the EU does not diminish protections in equality legislation, by strengthening the terms of the ministerial statement required when exercising the delegated powers in the Bill. I remain concerned that delegated powers could be used to dilute the equality rights currently protected by EU law and, to prevent this, I commend Amendments 83A and 83E to the House.

[The Deputy Speaker (Baroness Fookes) (Con)]

I should point out that if this amendment were to be agreed, I could not call Amendments 83AA to 83AC by reason of pre-emption.