Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend section 9 of the Equality Act 2010 to incorporate caste as a protected characteristic.

This Government completely opposes caste discrimination. Since coming into office, we have been considering the caste duty, particularly in the light of the Tirkey v Chandok employment appeal tribunal judgment. That suggests an existing legal remedy for claims of caste-associated discrimination under the ethnic origins element of section 9 of the Equality Act 2010. We note this potential protection and will continue to look at this issue carefully.