Written questions by Whittome.

If she will amend the Equality Act 2010 to improve legal protection for victims of caste discrimination.

No one should suffer prejudice or discrimination on any grounds, including any perception of their caste. The judgment of the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Tirkey v. Chandhok shows that someone claiming caste discrimination may rely on existing statutory remedies in the Equality Act 2010 where they can show that their ‘caste’ is related to their ethnic origin, which is itself an aspect of 'race' under the 2010 Act. The government is considering whether these existing remedies offer appropriate legal protection for victims of caste discrimination.

What assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the judgements in the cases of a) Tirkey v Chandhok, b) Kaur v Montana Bakery, c) Meshram v Tata and d) Ramachandran v Bechtel.

No one should suffer prejudice or discrimination on any grounds, including any perception of their caste. The judgment of the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Tirkey v. Chandhok shows that someone claiming caste discrimination may rely on existing statutory remedies in the Equality Act 2010 where they can show that their ‘caste’ is related to their ethnic origin, which is itself an aspect of 'race' under the 2010 Act. The government is considering whether these existing remedies offer appropriate legal protection for victims of caste discrimination.

If she will make caste-based discrimination illegal.

No one should suffer prejudice or discrimination on any grounds, including any perception of their caste. The judgment of the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Tirkey v. Chandhok shows that someone claiming caste discrimination may rely on existing statutory remedies in the Equality Act 2010 where they can show that their ‘caste’ is related to their ethnic origin, which is itself an aspect of 'race' under the 2010 Act.

If she will make it her policy to establish a commission that includes (a) trade unions, (b) campaign organisations and (c) community groups to help implement the socio-economic duty.

The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to consider actively how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage. We know that the duty will only succeed if central Government works in partnership with public sector leaders, communities and other partners up and down the country. We will therefore work closely with relevant organisations to ensure that implementation of the duty is as effective as possible. We will update further on our work to commence the socio-economic duty in due course.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of time limits to bring discrimination cases under the Equality Act 2010.

The time limit to bring discrimination cases to a tribunal is being extended from 3 to 6 months through the Employment Rights Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament. This measure will allow certain claims to be made that currently are eit...

Whether forthcoming legislation to ban conversion practices will include protections for those who are asexual.

This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped.Through the development of the Conversion Practices Bill, this Government will deliver on our manifesto commitment to bring forw...

What steps she is taking to engage with LGBT+ people from minority (a) ethnic and (b) religious groups about the impact on them of (i) conversion practices, (ii) prejudice and (iii) abuse.

It is crucial that all LGBT+ people are safe and protected from discrimination, including those from ethnic minority and/or faith communities. Work is underway to deliver the Government’s Manifesto commitments that will enhance legislative protections for...