Public Sector: Equality

(asked on 19th May 2021) - View Source

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Public Sector Equality Duty in ensuring that Equality Impact Assessments are (a) undertaken and (b) published on Government policies.


Answered by
Kemi Badenoch Portrait
Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
This question was answered on 28th May 2021

Under the Public Sector Equality Duty all public authorities are required by law to ensure that they have due regard to equality considerations when carrying out their functions. My officials in the Equality Hub provide advice to Government Departments and other public bodies where appropriate to assist with this.

Due regard can be had through documentation often referred to as an ‘equality impact assessment’ but production of an equality impact assessment, as such, is not a legal requirement, and different approaches to compliance with the duty may be appropriate depending on the circumstances.

There is no statutory requirement to publish assessments and practice varies. Decisions on publication are a matter for the public body concerned, given the particular circumstances.

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