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Co P Specific Duties Consultation
1. Synergies between the new equality duty
and the Equality Framework
• General duties – proposals in the Bill
• Specific duties – now out for consultation
2. General duties
•Public authorities, in the exercise of its
duties, must have due regard to the need to:
• Eliminate discrimination, harassment,
victimisation
• Advance equality of opportunity
• Foster good relations – now applied to
all strands
3. Advancement of opportunities
•Public authorities need to have due regard
in particular to:
• Removing or minimising disadvantage
• Meeting the needs of persons who
share a relevant characteristic
• Encouraging participation in public life
or any other activity in which
participation is disproportionately low
4. Fostering good relations
•Public authorities need to have due regard
in particular to:
• Tackling prejudice
• Promoting understanding
5. Proposals for specific duties
• Key principles:
• Use of evidence
• Consultation and involvement
• Transparency
• Capability
6. Key changes
• No requirement for equality scheme
• Requirement to set equality objectives and
action plans
• No requirement for equality impact
assessments, but requirement to demonstrate
how have taken account of evidence of the
impact on equality in the design of key policy
and service delivery
• No requirement for equality training
• Public bodies with 150 employees to report on
gender pay gap, ethnic minority and disability
employment rates
• Requirement to consult and involve in setting
equality objectives
7. Procurement
•In setting equality objectives set out how
public procurement will help to deliver those
objectives:
• Consider use of equality related award
criteria where they relate to subject
matter of the contract
• Consider incorporating equality related
contract conditions where they relate to
performance of the contract
8. Synergies with Equality Framework
and CAA
• Use of evidence – knowing your communities, equality
mapping
• Recognising different needs
• Identifying disadvantage – equality gaps and improving
outcomes
• Consultation and involvement of protected groups
• Transparency – use of evidence to set equality
objectives
• Reporting on under-representation on race and disability
and gender pay gap
• Equality considerations in the procurement process
• Improving participation in public life of under-represented
groups
9. Further information
•The GEO are consulting on the specific
duties. Information is available from
•www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_bill
•The IDeA will be co-ordinating a response.
Please contact
elizabeth.gardiner@idea.gov.uk to get
involved.