Socio-economic Equality Duty Debate

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Department: Home Office

Socio-economic Equality Duty

Bridget Phillipson Excerpts
Thursday 18th November 2010

(14 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. That question suffers from the disadvantage that it has absolutely nothing whatever to do with the socio-economic duty.

Bridget Phillipson Portrait Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) (Lab)
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The Minister came to the Chamber and said that the duty was “weak” and a “gesture”, and that substantive legislation is required. When will she introduce that legislation?

Baroness Featherstone Portrait Lynne Featherstone
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I think the hon. Lady misheard. I did not say that. I said that if we want to make a difference with substantive legislation, we should introduce it. I have already said that the Equality Act 2010 is substantive legislation, but that duty is a little bit of it that is not substantive.