Single-sex Spaces: Equality and Human Rights Commission Guidance

Debate between Lord Collins of Highbury and Baroness Finn

Tuesday 14th April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

I am afraid I have to repeat the point I made: I cannot comment on the draft code during this period of purdah. I think everyone in this House knows the Government’s position. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the rights of everyone under the Equality Act are, and continue to be, protected. The Supreme Court judgment made that clear too; we should not forget that. We should absolutely remain considerate of the rights of trans people. I am afraid that this debate has been fairly toxic. We need to show a bit of compassion and understanding. I am confident that we can move forward once we have the code before Parliament.

[Baroness Finn (Con)]

My Lords, despite the love of the Civil Service words of “moving at pace”, many of us have had experience of government acting a little more slowly than we would like. To take a whole year to publish a code of practice is pushing that to the limit. Just because decisions are difficult, it does not mean they should not be taken. Ministers in both Houses have been dodging our questions for long enough. When—I am asking for a specific date, not another road down which to kick this can—will the Government actually publish the EHRC’s code of practice?

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

I understand why the noble Baroness is asking that question, but it has been very important that we listen and respond. The EHRC has done the same. We now have the draft code, as the Written Ministerial Statement says. The Civil Service has been very clear—the noble Baroness knows this better than anyone—that there is a period of purdah, especially as the elections involve bodies directly involved in the application of this code. As soon as the elections are out of the way, we will bring forward the draft code under the Equality Act 2006. She does not have to wait—

Digital ID

Debate between Lord Collins of Highbury and Baroness Finn

Monday 19th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Finn (Con)]

My Lords, following yet another U-turn from this Government, I—and, I am sure, other noble Lords—have a number of questions. First, can the Minister tell the House the Government’s current projected cost of this digital ID programme and whether the £1.8 billion figure previously cited remains the Government’s own estimate? Can he also tell us how many public services now require citizens to use GOV.UK One Login as a mandatory gateway, rather than as an option? Which of those services are legally required to operate only with the DIATF-compliant identity assurance? How many of the National Cyber Security Centre’s 39 cyber assessment framework outcomes does One Login currently meet, and which does it not? What whistleblowing concerns have been raised since 2022 about security clearances, administrator access, overseas development and undetected red team intrusions? What security incidents have occurred, and has any personal data been compromised?

[The Deputy Leader of the House of Lords (Lord Collins of Highbury) (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for those questions. On costs, the Government do not recognise what the OBR reported as an accurate cost for the programme, because the scope of the scheme, and therefore its cost, has not yet been decided. The design and delivery will be subject to a public consultation, following which we will have a clearer idea.

The noble Baroness asked about the GOV.UK One Login, a subject she has previously raised with my noble friend. It follows the high standards of security for government and private sector services, and about 9 million to 10 million people have been using it. The programme adheres to the National Cyber Security Centre’s advice to ensure that its data is protected, fraud is detected and threats are monitored and responded to. More specifically, we are aware—I think this is the point that the noble Baroness is making—that the nature of cyber threats is changing and that there is an increase in the number of attacks against the United Kingdom. The Government are committed to improving resilience among operators of essential services, including through legislation currently before the Commons that will update the UK’s regulatory framework.