Sport England: Equality Act 2010

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay Excerpts

Monday 19th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

This is an important point, and I am sure something that the EHRC will consider as part of its upcoming consultation, which I am sure my noble friend and others will engage with. It will be for event organisers such as the English Chess Federation to consider the implications of the ruling and the EHRC guidance when it is published.

[Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)]

My Lords, there are many inclusive grass-roots sports groups across the country, open, for instance, to women and trans women, which play a vital and cherished role in supporting people’s social networks, their mental health and their physical well-being. One of the confusions caused by the Supreme Court ruling and the EHRC’s interim update is that, if these groups want to continue being inclusive, they will have to open to men as well. Does the Minister think that it might be possible to find a way for grass-roots groups to continue to meet, on whatever basis they and their members want, so that people can play the sports they enjoy without undue interference from the state?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

The noble Lord is entirely correct that there are some really positive examples of inclusivity in this space. It is for sports bodies to determine the specific policies for all levels of their sports, recognising the need to protect fairness and safety, alongside ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate. The EHRC, as I have already mentioned, will be launching a consultation on its revised code of practice shortly.