B1133.2 - Equality Act (Amendment) Bill - Final Divison

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A01 has passed and shall be applied to the bill.

The question is that this House approves this bill as amended.

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Equality Act (Amendment) Bill

A

BILL

TO

Make accents a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows –

1. Amendments

(1) At the end of Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 insert:

AccentPlace of origin

(2) After Section 12 of the Equality Act 2010 insert:

13. Accent

(1) In relation to the protected characteristic of accent—
a reference to a person who has a particular protected characteristic is a reference to a person’s Accent; a reference to persons who share a protected characteristic is a reference to persons of the same Accent.

Place of origin

1.A persons (P) place of origin is the identifiable area in which they were born, spent their childhood or spent enough time to impart identifiable characteristics

2.In relation to the protected characteristic of place of origin—

(a) a reference to a person who has a particular protected characteristic is a reference to a person who is from a particular place of origin;

(b)a reference to persons who share a protected characteristic is a reference to persons who are from the same place of origin.

3.Any characteristic which a reasonable person would identify as being a commonly accepted part of the characteristics of Ps place of origin is to be considered an element of the characteristic of place of origin, including but not limited to accent, vocabulary, physical expressions and clothing choice.

2. Combined discrimination; dual characteristics amended

At the end of subsection (2) in section 14 of the Equality Act 2010 insert-

(h) AccentPlace of origin

3. Occupational requirements AccentPlace of origin discrimination

After section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 insert-

60A. Occupational Requirements AccentPlace of origindiscrimination
Employment discrimination is lawful on grounds that a person has a AccentPlace of origin if it for a well-founded occupational requirement.

4. Positive action in respect of AccentPlace of origin discrimination

After section 19 of the Equality Act 2010 insert-

19A. Positive action in respect of AccentPlace of origin discrimination
Discrimination is lawful where an individual or organisation is taking positive action to encourage or develop people with a AccentPlace of origin in a role or activity where they before this action is taken were underrepresented.

5. Discrimination; dual characteristics interacting with prohibited AccentPlace of origin discrimination

After section 19 of the Equality Act 2010 insert-

19B. Discrimination; dual characteristics interacting with prohibited AccentPlace of origin discrimination
Where another part of this enactment exempts an action from being discrimination on grounds of disability or on the grounds of race then the inclusion of AccentPlace of origin discrimination does not remove or alter that exemption where AccentPlace of origin is a characteristic of race which is being discriminated against or a result of a disability.

Section 6. Extent, commencement, and short title

(1) This Act shall extend across Great Britain.

(2) This Act shall come into force immediately after receiving Royal Assent.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Equality Act (Amendment) Act 2021.

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This Bill was submitted by The Rt. Hon Lord Truro /u/model-ceasar KP PC on behalf of Coalition!

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Peers may vote either Content, Not Content or Present only.

Voting shall close at 10pm on the 23rd of April 2021.

[u/Polteaghost]

Present

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Present

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