Radical reforms to
the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) will make it a
stronger, more focussed and more efficient organisation, Home
Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Theresa May said today.
The Government Equalities Office has published detailed plans for
major changes to the way the EHRC operates. The reforms will
correct mistakes of the past and increase transparency,
accountability and value for money.
The proposals are contained in a consultation that will run for
three months from today. Ministers plan to make changes in three
key areas:
1) Clarifying the EHRC's remit. The government will
amend the legislation that established the EHRC, the Equality Act
2006, to clarify the Commission's core functions. This
will allow the EHRC to focus on the work that really matters,
where it alone can add value. At present, vagueness in the
Equality Act, for example, the duty to "promote
understanding of the importance of equality and
diversity" has led to the EHRC undertaking a wide range
of activities that are not regulatory in nature, including running
summer camps for young people.
2) Stopping non-core activities. One of the causes of the
Commission's difficulties was the breadth of its remit -
extending beyond its core role to, for example, operating a
helpline and grants programme. The Commission has struggled to do
these things well in the past, so we have decided that we should
not fund it to do them in the future. The evidence suggests that
this work could be done better or more cost-effectively by others.
3) Improving transparency and value for money. Problems with
financial controls mean that each set of the EHRC's
accounts have been qualified since its creation, and it has
struggled to deliver value for money. Today's proposals
include a legal requirement for the EHRC to publish an annual
business plan in Parliament, and comply with the same rules as all
other public bodies when spending money. Where the Commission
fails to show that it has spent taxpayers' money wisely,
financial penalties will apply.
Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality Theresa May
said:
"It's vital that we have a strong, effective
and independent equalities and human rights body, but since its
creation the EHRC has struggled to deliver across its remit and
demonstrate that it is delivering value for taxpayers'
money.
"We want the EHRC to become a valued and respected
national institution, championing effective implementation of
equality and human rights laws and holding government and others
to account for their performance, while delivering maximum value
for money for taxpayers. The proposals being published today are
intended to make that happen."
GEO06/2011
Notes to editors
1. The full proposals and consultation document can be downloaded
from the Government Equalities Office website at http://www.equalities.gov.uk
2. The consultation opens today and closes on 15 June 2011.
3. The EHRC covers England, Scotland and Wales. It was set up in
2007 and took on the responsibilities of the Commission for Racial
Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal
Opportunities Commission.
4. The EHRC is chaired by Trevor Phillips, who was reappointed in
2009 for a second three year term. The body's interim
Chief Executive is Helen Hughes.
Contacts:
Government Equalities Office Press Office
Phone: 0207 035 7035
enquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Government Equalities Office Out of hours
Phone: 07500 816 959
enquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk