GOVERNMENT TO CARRY OUT BIGGEST REVIEW OF EQUALITY

15 May 2002 11:14 AM

Barbara Roche, Minister responsible for equality co-ordination across Government, today announced the most significant review of equality in over quarter of a century.

In a speech at the British Bankers Association in London, she said there are good arguments in favour of a single equality body and that the Government is now looking at the longer-term feasibility of this.

She said: "We are looking at the longer-term options for the UK's equality framework. This doesn't mean ignoring the voices of any particular group represented by the current Commissions. It does mean finding ways of involving those who think they aren't being catered for.

"Equality isn't a minority issue and discrimination legislation is not just about protecting a few, important though that is - it's relevant to all of us.

"But we also need to achieve a lasting culture change by looking beyond legislation, at the broader economic inequalities that still persist in our society.

"Women still lose out to a tune of £250,000 during their working lives; a ground- breaking PIU report for which I'm Sponsor Minister shows that a black man is still 2.5 times more likely to be unemployed than a white man; and people with disabilities are seven times more likely to be out of work than a non-disabled person.

"We are committed to an open and inclusive process and will be drawing on the expertise of those working in the field of equality, including the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality and the Disability Rights Commission."

Barbara Roche emphasised there would be no changes to structures within the lifetime of this Parliament.

The Government is committed to outlawing unfair discrimination at work for the first time on the grounds of religion and sexual orientation by 2003, and age by 2006.

The DTI's recent extensive consultation Towards Equality And Diversity, which invited views on this from business, trade unions and interest groups, shows support from respondents for a joined-up approach.

Notes to editors

- Barbara Roche was speaking at the IPPR conference, Equality and Diversity in the 21st Century at the British Bankers Association, Pinners Hall, 105 Broad Street, London EC2

- Single Equality Commission Project Terms of Reference can be found at www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk

- The EOC and the CRE were established in the mid-1970s and the DRC was set up by the Government, in 2000

- A project team in Cabinet Office will make known the initial conclusions of the project in September and set out then any future action as necessary

- Towards Equality and Diversity can be found at
www.dti.gov.uk/er/equality

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Single Equality Commission Project - Terms of Reference

Introduction

One of the Government's main aims is to create opportunity for all. The promotion of equality for individuals, business and service providers is a key part of this. It also means that if people are unlawfully discriminated against they should have access to advice and support to resolve, if needs be through legal means, their cases. The Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality, and more recently, the Disability Rights Commission, have statutory powers to do carry out these functions in their respective regimes.

Legislation currently being introduced to implement the EU Article 13 Employment Directive will extend the grounds for protection against discrimination in employment and training to include sexual orientation and religion by 2003 and age by 2006.

In anticipation of this, the prospect of a single equality body in the 'longer term' was signalled in the consultation document on Article 13, launched on 13 December 2001. A new, more unified approach to equality has some clear attractions. It could provide a single point of contact for employers and employees, service providers, customers and members of the wider public, by offering advice and support on the broad range of common grounds for discrimination.

However, there are various models for achieving greater unity and these may impact in different ways on the work of the existing commissions. The advantages, disadvantages and the timescales need to be carefully examined. It is also necessary to consider the relationship between possible new arrangements for promoting equality and those for promoting and protecting human rights more widely.

A focussed project is therefore needed to look at these issues, and consider key relevant policy developments including:

- the creation of interim arrangements relating to sexual orientation, religion and age under the new legislation mentioned above

- alternative disputes resolution policy;

- modernised delivery of public services.

Objectives

The project will:

- Examine the pros and cons of possible arrangements, in the long term for:

- promotion of equality in relation to sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion and age, to individuals, business and service providers;

- resolution of discrimination cases;

- production of statutory codes of practice and other guidance;

- "last resort" enforcement mechanisms;

- review of anti-discrimination legislation;

- assistance to individuals