The way the
government drives a fairer society comes under the spotlight on
the Red Tape challenge website today. Equality legislation applies
to almost every area of the public and private sector. Businesses
and voluntary and community organisations are invited to tell
government how to cut bureaucracy and boost business.
The Equality Act 2010 has already replaced nine major pieces of
legislation and scrapped another 100 sets of regulations in order
to lighten the burden of red tape on businesses. The Red Tape
challenge website asks what more we can do to simplify or
deregulate equality legislation.
Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said:
"The Equality Act is here to stay. Fairness and
opportunity for all remain at the heart of government. But there
is always more we can do to ensure that business is not being
strangled by red tape.
"This government is committed to economic prosperity
and reducing unnecessary rules and regulations. We want to hear
from individuals, businesses, public sector organisations and
voluntary and community organisations about how the Act is working
in practice. We want to know whether the Act could be simplified,
better implemented, or if certain provisions should be dropped or
amended, or whether it should be kept exactly as it is."
The government has already taken action to drive fair treatment
and equal opportunities without resorting to overly-bureaucratic
regulation. The Home Secretary announced last December that the
gender pay reporting measures in section 78 of the Equality Act
will not be implemented. Instead, the government is working with
business to encourage the publication of equality workforce data
on a voluntary basis.
The director of people and policy at BT, Caroline Waters has been
enlisted to act as sector champion and is fully behind the drive
to ease the stranglehold on business, while ensuring that
necessary regulation remains. She will also provide expert
knowledge on the issues faced by those on the shop floor and act
as an intermediary between the sector and government.
Caroline
Waters said:
"I'm delighted and very flattered to have this
opportunity to Champion the Equalities Review of the Red Tape
challenge. This is such an exciting opportunity to really focus on
the intent of the legislation and to make sure that we have a
legislative framework that supports our desire to become an ever
fairer society that can effectively compete in the global economy,
because we are fully embracing all the talents, experiences and
perspectives available to us.
"I want this to be a real conversation about how we
maintain the progress of recent years but remove the actual and
perceived bureaucracy that is a real barrier to many individuals
and businesses. I don't know anyone that doesn't
want to do this, so let's cut through the red tape and
make fairness and inclusion a reality. Get involved - give us the
feedback and insights that will make this work."
The Red Tape challenge website was launched by the Prime Minister
and Business Secretary Vince Cable in April. It will, for the
first time, give the public a chance to have their say on
regulation that affects their everyday lives; whether
it's to speak up for well designed rules that are there
to protect or challenge badly designed or badly thought out
requirements that are an unnecessary burden.
061/2011
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Red Tape challenge website is available at: www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
2. As well as the spotlight on individual sectors, the campaign
also has six cross cutting themes that affect all businesses and
are open throughout the whole of the campaign. The six cross
cutting themes are:
a. Employment law;
b. Pensions;
c. Company law;
d. Equalities;
e. Health and
Safety; and
f. Environment legislation.
3. Caroline Waters OBE, is director of people and policy at BT
and was awarded HR director of the year in the HR excellence
awards 2009. She was awarded an OBE for services to diversity and
equal opportunities. She also chairs the new Employers for Carers
membership forum, supported by Carers UK. She is a strong
supporter of flexible working and the value of retaining older
workers. She is a passionate campaigner and has gained the ear of
politicians from all parties.
Contacts:
Home Office Press Office
Phone: 020 7035 3535
NDS.HO@coi.gsi.gov.uk