Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the list of protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010 and in Article 14 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

The protected characteristics provided for in Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 reflect the progressive development over time of the UK’s world leading approach to equalities legislation, covering all those required by EU law, together with “marriage and civil partnership”. Protections available across the range of protected characteristics exceed EU requirements, as they include proscription of unlawful discrimination by providers of goods and services because of age, disability, sexual orientation and religion or belief.

Article 14 (non-discrimination) of the European Convention for the protection of Human Rights works differently from the Equality Act 2010 by providing for a right not to be discriminated against, on various grounds, in respect of the other rights set out in the Convention. Section 1 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Human Rights Act 1998 give Article 14 further effect in UK domestic law.