The document discusses proposals for new specific equality duties in the UK that will strengthen requirements for public authorities to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. The key proposals include requiring public authorities to set equality objectives and action plans, demonstrate how they have considered equality impacts in policymaking, consult and involve protected groups, and report on gender pay gaps and employment rates for ethnic minorities and disabled people. The proposals aim to increase transparency, use of evidence, and synergies with existing equality frameworks.

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.