EQUALITY BILL

KEY MEASURES

• Provides for the establishment of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, a single integrated body to underpin GB legislation on race, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, the proposed legislation on age and human rights. 
• The new Commission will be a strong and authoritative champion for equality and human rights, as a cornerstone of the Government's drive to enhance social justice and a means to realising our vision of a fairer, more inclusive and prosperous Britain.
• The Commission will be established as a non-departmental public body and will subsume the three existing equality commissions (Commission for Race Equality, Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission).  
• Commission's core duties to be the promotion of good practice in equality and diversity; the elimination of discrimination; the promotion of equal opportunities within the protected equality strands; human rights; social cohesion; review of legislation.
• Commission to have power to conduct inquiries and investigations.
  Extends protection against discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief to the provision of goods, facilities, services, premises, education and public services.  
• Extends the prohibition of sex discrimination to cover all public functions and introduces a duty on public authorities to promote equality of opportunity between women and men.

TERRITORIAL EXTENT

The Bill extends to Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).

COMMENTS

If you have any comments on the proposals you can email them to:

cehr@dti.gsi.gov.uk

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The CEHR will be established in October 2007 for all areas except those for which the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) is responsible. These areas will remain with CRE until April 2009, when the CRE's responsibilities will transfer to the CEHR.