Cabinet Office
 Printable version
|
 E-mail this to a friend
|
Equality experts, business and unions to help make Britain fairer
The Government Equalities Office (GEO) today announced a new senior stakeholder group to support development of a new equality framework which will help make Britain a fairer and more equal place.
The group will provide advice to the GEO and its Ministers on how to further strengthen equality protection and to streamline the law. This will include both those measures to be included in the Equality Bill and accompanying non-legislative measures.
Representatives from across the equalities spectrum are members of the group, as well as senior figures from trade unions and business organisations including the CBI, Equalities and Human Rights Commission, TUC and Press for Change.
Jonathan Rees, Director General of the GEO, will chair the group.
He said:
"I am delighted that we are pulling together
such a strong, diverse and committed group. The equality agenda is
for everyone: individuals and society.
"It is also the foundation of a strong, prosperous, and modern economy and even more important in the current economic position that we harness the abilities of all individuals, whatever their background.
"The Group also embodies the commitment made when presenting our proposals in June and July to continue to engage widely with stakeholders, and to draw on their experience as we finalise our plans."
Notes for editors:
1. The group will meet monthly, beginning
in September until March 2009.
2. The group will be supported by other working groups looking at specific aspects of the Equality Bill package (for instance, the shape of the new public sector duty, procurement, and age).
3. GEO will act as Secretariat to the group.
4. The members of the Senior Stakeholder Group are
Jonathan Rees (Government Equalities Office) - Chair
Barney Leith Religion & Belief Consultative Group
David
Ruebain Equality and Human Rights Commission
Diana Holland
UNITE
Dr Katherine Rake The Fawcett Society
Gordon
Lishman Age Concern/Help the Aged
John Dodds Department for
Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform
Jonathan Finney
Stonewall
Katja Hall CBI
Koku Adomdza The 1990
Trust
Liane Venner Unison
Liz Sayce RADAR
Lucy de
Groot IDeA (& LGA)
Alastair Henderson/Sian Thomas NHS
Federation
Prof. Stephen Whittle OBE Press for
Change
Sarah Spencer CBE Equality and Diversity
Forum
Sarah Veale TUC
Stephen Alambritis Federation
Small Businesses
Stephen Haddrill Association Of British
Insurers
Una O'Brien Department of Health
Biographies of the members can be found on the GEO website at:
http://www.equalities.gov.uk/
5. The purpose of this group is to provide strategic advice (and support) to the government Equalities Office and its Ministers on the full range of measures designed to strengthen equality protection and to streamline the law. This will include both these measures to be included in the Equality Bill and accompanying non legislative measures.
Government Equalities Office
putting equality at the heart of government
