In March 2013 the Government issued a call for evidence to inform the review of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). The Review was announced by the Home Secretary in May 2012 as part of the outcome of the Red Tape Challenge spotlight on equalities. The review sets out to establish whether the duty is operating as intended. The review is expected to be completed by June 2013, rather than the previous announced date of the end of April.
The closing date for submissions was 19 April.
The Equality and Diversity Forum (EDF) submitted its response in March 2013 and also produced a template and a background briefing to help organisations to engage with the Government’s Review of the public sector equality duty.
On 19 April, EDF submitted supplementary evidence covering:
- What the equality duty can achieve that individual non-discrimination provisions cannot achieve
- The equality duty in relation to procurement
The review is particularly focusing on the following key themes:
- how well understood is the PSED and guidance
- what are the costs and benefits of the PSED
- how organisations are managing legal risk and ensuring compliance with the PSED
- what changes, if any, would ensure better equality outcomes (legislative, administrative and/or enforcement changes, for example).
Click here for further details of the review including the call for evidence, terms of reference, members of the independent steering group appointed to oversee the review and synopses of their meetings so far.
To inform the Review, the Government Equalities Office (GEO) has commissioned NatCen Social Research (an independent organisation) to find out from decision-makers and practitioners across a wide range of public sector organisations (government, local authorities and other public bodies such as police authorities, NHS trusts and other government funded agencies) how the Duty is working in practice. Individuals are invited to contribute their views on a secure website and/or by taking part in a short telephone interview. Click here for more details.
EDF submissions and briefings:
Click here for EDF’s submission and click here for EDF’s supplementary evidence
Click here for EDF’s template and here for the background briefing
Submissions, briefings and articles by EDF members and other organisations:
Click here for submission by Age UK
Click here for submission by Citizens Advice
Click here for submission by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER)
Click here for submission by the Discrimination Law Association. Accompanying material includes Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C, Exhibit D and Exhibit E.
Click here for submission by Equality South West
Click here for submission by the Fawcett Society
Click here for submission by JUSTICE
Click here for letter from NHS Employers (19 April 2013)
Click here for submission by the Race Equality Coalition
Click here for submission by Stonewall
Click here for submission by the TUC
Click here for submission by Unison
Click here for joint response by a group of disability charities
Click here for submission by Dr Tessa Wright, Queen Mary, University of London
Click here for submission by Insted Consultancy
Click here for briefing by the Local Government Information Unit
Click here for article in the Local Government Chronicle (10 July 2013)
