Newport councillor slams sexual orientation question (From South Wales Argus)

Newport councillor slams sexual orientation question

2:20pm Saturday 4th February 2012 in News By David Deans, Reporter

A NEWPORT politician hit out at Welsh Government plan that would see election candidates asked about their sexual orientation.

Each council in Wales is required under Welsh law to anonymously survey every candidate after the end of an election - asking them a range of questions including their race, age and whether they have a disability.

But Newport cabinet member and the council's equalities champion Cllr Peter Davies attacked a proposal to ask about a candidate’s sexual orientation, as he said the subject was "not anyone’s business".

"It’s just intruding into people’s personal affairs," he said. "We have written back saying we think it’s most inappropriate."

Under a Welsh law passed last year, every council has a duty to send and collect data from a questionnaire to every candidate, successful or unsuccessful, after local and community council elections.

A draft questionnaire, that was subject to a consultation that is now closed, asks if the candidate is gay or lesbian, heterosexual or straight, other or whether they prefer not to say.

But Andrew White, director of Stonewall Cymru, said: "Our supporters up and down Wales tell us they want the right to be counted."

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said the survey was standard practice in equality monitoring and candidates can choose not to complete it.