WIREDGOV

A radical new body with powers to tackle discrimination and prejudice and put equality at the heart of modern Britain is set out today in the Government's Equality Bill.

Individuals suffering discrimination would have easier access to support and employers improved advice and information in the one-stop shop offered by the single Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) from October 2007.

The CEHR would bring together the work of the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission and put expertise on equality, diversity and human rights in one place.

For the first time the CEHR would also have responsibility for the new equality areas of age, religion and belief and sexual orientation and would work to promote human rights. It would have a better range of powers to enforce legislation flexibly and promote equality for all.

The CEHR would be required to produce a regular 'equality health check' for Britain and to work with individuals, communities, businesses and public services to find new, more effective ways to give everyone in society the chance to achieve their full potential.

The Equality Bill also includes new powers to outlaw discrimination on grounds of religion or belief and creates a duty on public authorities to promote equality of opportunity between men and women and prohibit sex discrimination in the exercise of public functions.

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women and Equality Patricia Hewitt said:

"The Equality Bill marks a transformation in the way modern Britain tackles discrimination and disadvantage.

"The new Commission on Equality and Human Rights will help ensure that every individual can fulfil their potential and that discrimination, prejudice and inequality have no place in modern British society.

"The CEHR will have a greater impact than the existing commissions because its wider remit will make it a stronger champion for all. The new Commission will work with individuals, equality organisations, public bodies and employers to deliver lasting changes in policy and practice.

"It will have tougher powers to tackle discrimination, new responsibilities to foster good relations between communities and new ways of working to provide easier access to information and advice for individuals."

David Lammy, Minister for Human Rights said:

"The CEHR will be a landmark in the development of a human rights culture in this country. As well as promoting the importance of human rights, the new Commission will be well-placed to build links between work on human rights, equality and strong communities."

The Equality Bill being published today follows wide-ranging consultation with those involved in promoting equality and tackling discrimination, including equality and human rights organisations, business, trade unions and public bodies.

Over 400 organisations and individuals responded to the consultation, which resulted in some key changes to the Government's original proposals and growing support for the establishment of the CEHR.

The purpose of the Equality Bill is to:

* establish the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) and to define its purpose and functions;

* make unlawful discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief in the provision of goods, facilities, services, premises, education and the exercise of public functions (subject to certain exemptions);

* create a duty on public authorities to promote equality of opportunity between men and women (the gender duty) and to prohibit sex discrimination in the exercise of public functions.

The Bill sets out the duties and powers of the CEHR. The Commission will have general powers to publish or disseminate ideas and information, to give advice and guidance, to undertake research, to provide education and training and to publish and disseminate ideas and information. It will have the power to work in partnership with and provide grant aid to others in support of its functions.

The CEHR will have a range of powers to promote equality and tackle discrimination. These include:

* a new duty to consult with stakeholders to ensure all groups have an opportunity to participate and engage in its work;

* a new duty to monitor progress on equality, human rights and good relations between communities, through publishing a regular 'state of the nation' report
* a new duty to promote good relations between and within communities, across all sections of society

* an explicit role to combat prejudice and work to reduce crime affecting particular communities, including new powers to monitor hate crimes

* a regional presence across the country, and in Scotland and Wales.

Notes to Editors

1. The CEHR will be established in October 2007 for all areas except those for which the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) is responsible. These areas will remain with CRE until April 2009, when the CRE' responsibilities will transfer to the CEHR.

2. On 25 February, the Government announced the launch of an Equalities Review led by Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, to provide an understanding of the long term and underlying causes of disadvantage. The Review will inform both the development of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights and the parallel work, to be led by DTI, to modernise and simplify equality legislation towards a single Equality Act. The Review will report to the Prime Minister in summer 2006. Further information on the Review can be found at:
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/detail.asp?ReleaseID=148053&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False

3. A summary of the consultation responses to the White Paper, Fairness for All, can be found on the Women and Equality Unit's website. http://164.36.38.98/equality/project/minutes_reports.htm

4. A copy of the Government's Response, published in November 2004, can be found on the DTI.
http://164.36.38.98/equality/project/index.htm

EQUALITY BILL: SUPPORT FROM ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN PROMOTING EQUALITY AND TACKLING DISCRIMINATION

Commission for Racial Equality

Trevor Phillips, Chair

"We welcome the publication of this much improved Bill and recognise the changes that have been made which will bolster the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

"Our concern that the timing for merging the CRE into a single equality body was not appropriate has been addressed and we are pleased to have been given an assurance that we will not be joining the CEHR until 2009.

"The CRE also welcomes the Government's recent announcement of an Equalities Review which will look at the causes of persistent discrimination and inequality, and their commitment to develop a simpler, fairer legal framework towards a single equality act. Both strands of work will inform the development of the CEHR.

"We intend to work wholeheartedly with the Equalities Review, our sister Commissions and new strands as we move towards a unified legal and institutional framework that can contribute to greater equality across Britain."

Disability Rights Commission

Bert Massie, Chairman

"The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) especially welcomes the recognition in the Bill that disabled people should have a clear and distinctive voice within the CEHR, backed up by a properly resourced Disability Committee with an effective range of delegated powers.

"The combination of a Disability Committee with executive powers and a guaranteed place on the CEHR Board for a disabled person enshrines the principle that disabled people must have a decisive role in developing and leading future work on disability rights. The inclusion of these measures in the Bill is very welcome. In areas such as transport, education and the receipt of services disabled people's experience and the circumstances giving rise to discrimination are distinctive. That distinctive experience needs to be articulated by a distinctive disability voice. The Bill creates the conditions in which the voice of disabled people can be heard.

"The review of equalities legislation announced last week complements the Bill by tackling the acute need for legislative harmonisation identified by the DRC and by many other of the CEHR's potential stakeholders. There must be rapid progress if the CEHR is to benefit fully from this important initiative."

Equal Opportunities Commission

Julie Mellor, Chair

"The EOC strongly supports the Equality Bill. We have been arguing for a single champion of equality and human rights issues for several years. Not only does it make sense for individuals, employers and service providers, but from our experience we know that achieving equality for men and women requires solutions that take account of more than their gender. For example, we know from our research on poverty that Pakistani and Bangladeshi women, older women and disabled women are more likely to be poor and excluded than Pakistani & Bangladeshi, older or disabled men. Bringing together expertise on all equality issues will help deliver sex equality for all women and men.

"We also particularly welcome plans to give public bodies a duty to promote sex equality. Only by making sure our public services reflect the real needs of men and women can we make Britain a fairer place."

Age Concern

Gordon Lishman, Director General

"Age Concern has long campaigned for the Commission for Equality and Human Rights and we strongly welcome this announcement. This body has the potential to transform older people's lives and beat ageism."

Liberty

Shami Chakrabarti, Director

"There has never been a more important moment for a Commission for Equality and Human Rights in this country. This Bill is a beacon of hope for many of us and I hope that the Government will put real political will behind it."

Muslim Council of Britain

Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary General

"The Muslim Council of Britain welcomes the Equality Bill. This is a timely and necessary piece of legislation to provide institutional support for the promotion and protection of equality and human rights in Britain for all its citizens.

"We are particularly pleased that the legislation will also include new provisions on religious discrimination in the delivery of goods and services, and in public functions. This has been long overdue not just for Muslims, but for all religions and beliefs."

Stonewall

Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive

"Stonewall hugely welcomes the introduction of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights which will offer statutory protection to lesbians and gays across Britain. All of Stonewall's work addresses difference across British society and we are delighted that the new Commission will do the same."

The 1990 Trust

Karen Chouhan, Director

"The improvements in the CEHR Bill demonstrate that the voices of Black and minority communities make a difference. We will work to continue to ensure that the government listens to the voices of Black communities."

CBI

John Cridland, Deputy Director-General

"In the past, employers have been confused about who to turn to for advice on equality and diversity. Creating one point of contact for all diversity issues makes good sense for businesses and individuals. It promises to simplify the process and save time. Business has embraced diversity and the CEHR must give firms the guidance they require from day one."

TUC

Brendan Barber, General Secretary

"Too many in Britain still suffer unfair discrimination at work. They need simpler laws and effective enforcement. These must be the watchwords of the new Commission if it is to build on the work of the equality bodies it will replace and effectively tackle its new duties on age, sexuality, religion and belief."

Geoffrey Bindman

Visiting Professor of Law, University College

"I welcome the introduction of the Bill to establish a new Commission for Equality and Human Rights. I am glad that the opportunity has been taken to streamline the body's investigation procedures, eliminating some of the obstacles that the existing Commissions have faced. I hope that further improvements to anti-discrimination law will result from the Government's recently announced Discrimination Law Review."