Look at the government’s current review of the Equality Duties Give information on: current consultations and a health event. review of Inclusion London’s policy work – with a view to working closer with you.

Review of Public Sector Equality Duties Government has set up a review of Public sector Equality duties as part of the ‘Red Tape Challenge spotlight on equalities’.

Background of Equality Duties Equality Act 2010 replaced the Disability Discrimination Act, including the Disability Equality Duties and other legislation such as the Race Relations Act. The Equality Act contains Public Sector Equality Duties (Equality Duties), which belatedly came into force in April The Equality Duty developed from the Race Equality Duty following the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.

What are the Public Sector Equality Duties? The equality duties are composed of a ‘general equality duty’ supported by ‘specific duties’.

Who do the equality duties apply to? Public authorities such as: local authorities, education and health bodies, police, transport authorities, and government departments.

Who does it cover? Those with ‘protected’ characteristics, which include: age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

What do the equality duties ask public authorities to do? Public authorities need to: 1.Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation. 2.Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristics and those who do not. 3.Foster good relations between disabled people and those who do not. These are often referred to as the 3 aims of the general equality duty.

Advancing equality of opportunity involves the need to: Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics. Take steps to meet the needs of disabled people where these are different from the needs of other people. Can include treating disabled people more favourably. Encourage disabled people to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.

Specific duties Specific Duties weakened already. Specific duties have already been watered down compared to the Disability Discrimination act. The necessity to consult and engage with disabled people has been weakened. Number of objectives the Council published each yet has dropped from several focusing on disabled people to one covering all the protected characteristics. Authorities are required to: Specific duties help authorities improve their performance on the general equality duty, by improving their focus and transparency. Publish information to demonstrate its compliance with the general equality duty every year. Publish one or more objectives to achieve the aims of the general equality duty, at least every four years. The objectives must be specific and measurable. Both must be published in a manner that is accessible to the public.

Why are equality duties useful? Promote: access to services and information engagement and participation Providing information in accessible formats Gives transparency on authorities plan to comply with the general equality duty and their objectives.

The review Government has put in place a review of the public sector Equality Duty, as part of the outcome of the Red Tape Challenge. The review will establish whether the 'equality duty' is ‘operating as intended’. The government has appointed a panel to undertake the review.

Why should we be concerned? The Equality Duty is neither a luxury nor red tape. It helps public authorities get their services and policies right for our diverse society and make best use of resources. The Equality Duty has only been in operation for 18 months - it is too early to assess whether it is operating well or not, so too early to conduct a review. Doing it now is wasting public resources. Should be done when originally planned in 2015.

Who is on the review panel? The 11 person review panel has neither DDPOs nor disabled people, nor representation of the other protected groups. Groups of people who are intended to benefit most from the duty should be properly involved. Only representative of an equality body is the Chair of the Equality Human Rights Commission. The panel is almost exclusively composed of representatives from public bodies such as local government and educational bodies.

One of a series of attacks on the Equality Act Government has: questioned the very existence of the Equality Act via its Red Tape Challenge website, asking the public whether the Act should be scrapped altogether! already consulted on proposals to abolish various duties including ‘Employers’ liability for third party harassment’. The prime minister, recently claimed that judicial reviews, public consultations and equality impact assessments (EIAs) were ‘slowing the pace of government reform’s, and said he was ‘calling time’ on EIAs and ‘all this extra tick-box stuff’.

What can we do? Doreen Lawrence and Dr Richard Stone have written to party leaders to raise concerns… DDPO’s and disabled people to write to their local MPs saying that : Fairness should be at the heart of British society. Public bodies should understand how their policies and services affect different groups of people or they will waste public money. At times of economic constraint this is more important. The time and manner in which Equality Duty Review is being conducted should be re- considered. Also Respond to a call for evidence.

What will Inclusion London do? you a template letter, which can be used by DDPOs or your service users. Also send you background information. Both will also be on our website. Inclusion London will respond to a call for evidence with support from DDPOs. Inclusion is working with other organisations such the Equality and Diversity Forum to protect the Equality Duties.

More information is available at: lityAct/PSED/essential_guide_update.pdf lityAct/PSED/essential_guide_update.pdf act/equality-duty/equality-duty-review/ act/equality-duty/equality-duty-review/ Terms of reference and membership of steering group of review body recently published.: act/equality-duty/equality-duty-review/terms-of- reference/ act/equality-duty/equality-duty-review/terms-of- reference/ act/equality-duty/equality-duty-review/membership- steering-group/ act/equality-duty/equality-duty-review/membership- steering-group/ Disability news service

Consultations Transport select committee inquiry call for evidence, deadline 14 January. Areas the committee is interested include: The accessibility of information: The provision of assistance by public transport staff and staff awareness of the needs of people with different disabilities es-a-z/commons-select/transport- committee/news/disabled-people---tor/ Draft Care and Support Bill – scrutiny committee call for evidence coming soon…. Defend Independent Living: ILF campaign - action needed in new year depending on result of court case.

Health Event Date for your diary - 7 February at SCOPE An ‘Inclusion and Engagement’ event focusing on Health, organised in partnership with Age UK London. Theme: How do we have our say within the new Health Structures? Speakers/Panel are likely to be drawn from: Mayors health improvement partnership London NHS Health watch Health and Wellbeing boards Clinical commissioning groups

Review of policy work Inclusion London aims include: To provide DDPO’s and disabled people with support with policy issues. Inclusion London’s policy consultation responses to be informed by disabled people’s experiences and views.

How do we do this? We provide: Information on how draft legislation will impact on disabled people. Consultation events. Consultation responses on government policy that impacts on disabled people Template letters to MP’s Information on the website. News Update circulated monthly Is this useful? What do you do? What other support do you need?

Strengthening of Deaf and disabled people’s organisations voice in policy work Meeting on Wednesday 23 January 2.00 – 4.00 at Can Mezzanine near Old Street tube. Meeting with individual DDPOs Closer on going relationship with 4/6 DDPOs