The Equality Bill ( 27/4/2009) is a proposed Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which was announced in May 2008 as part of the British government's draft legislative programme for the year ahead. The government's draft text was published on 27 April 2009.

Proposals

The Labour Party included a commitment to an Equality Bill in its 2005 election manifesto. The Discrimination Law Review was established in 2005 to develop the legislation and was led by the Government Equalities Office. The review considered the findings of the Equalities Review Panel, chaired by Trevor Phillips, which reported in February 2007. The bill is intended to simplify the law by bringing together existing anti-discrimination legislation. Most of the existing law is contained in the following legislation:

• Equal Pay Act 1970
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• Race Relations Act 1976
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• Employment Equality Regulations 2003
• Employment Equality Regulations 2003
  • Equality Act Regulations 2007
• Employment Equality Regulations 2006
• Equality Act 2006

The bill would also extend until 2030 the exemption from sex discrimination law allowing political parties to select all women or all men candidate short-lists. The existing exemption until 2015 was created by the Sex Discrimination Act 2002.

Contents

• Part 1 Socio-economic inequalities
• Part 2 Equality: key concepts
  • Chapter 1 Protected characteristics
  • Chapter 2 Prohibited conduct
• Part 3 Services and public functions
• Part 4 Premises
• Part 5 Work
  • Chapter 1 Employment, etc.
  • Chapter 2 Occupational pension schemes
  • Chapter 3 Equality of terms
  • Chapter 4 Supplementary
• Part 6 Education
  • Chapter 1 Schools
  • Chapter 2 Further and higher education
  • Chapter 3 General qualifications bodies
  • Chapter 4 Miscellaneous
• Part 7 Associations
• Part 8 Prohibited conduct: ancillary

• Part 9 Enforcement
  • Chapter 1 Introductory
  • Chapter 2 Civil courts
  • Chapter 3 Employment tribunals
  • Chapter 4 Equality of terms
  • Chapter 5 Miscellaneous
• Part 10 Contracts, etc.
• Part 11 Advancement of equality
  • Chapter 1 Public sector equality duty
  • Chapter 2 Positive action
• Part 12 Disabled persons: transport
  • Chapter 1 Taxis etc.
  • Chapter 2 Public service vehicles
  • Chapter 3 Rail vehicles
  • Chapter 4 Supplementary
• Part 13 Disability: miscellaneous
• Part 14 General exceptions
• Part 15 General and miscellaneous

Reform of the monarchy

In April 2008, Solicitor General Vera Baird announced that as part of the Single Equality Bill, legislation would be introduced to repeal parts of the Act of Settlement 1701 that prevent Roman Catholics or those who marry Roman Catholics from ascending to the throne, and to change the inheritance of the monarchy from cognatic primogeniture to absolute primogeniture, i.e. the first-born heir would inherit the throne regardless of their gender or religion. However, Attorney General The Baroness Scotland of Asthal subsequently ruled there would be no change in the law of succession in 2008, saying, "To bring about changes to the law on succession would be a complex undertaking involving amendment or repeal of a number of items of related legislation, as well as requiring the consent of legislatures of member nations of the Commonwealth". The published draft bill does not contain any provisions to change succession laws.

See also

• Employment discrimination law in the United Kingdom

References

1. age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation
2. s 13 direct discrimination, s 14 discrimination arising from disability, s 15 gender reassignment discrimination: cases of absence from work, s 16 pregnancy and maternity discrimination: non-work cases, s 17 pregnancy and maternity discrimination: work cases, s 18 indirect discrimination; Adjustments for disabled persons: s 19 duty to make adjustments, s 20 failure to comply with duty, s 21 regulations, s 22 comparison by reference to circumstances, s 23 references to particular strands of discrimination, s 24 harassment, s 25 victimisation
3. Employees: s 36 Employees and applicants, s 37 Employees and applicants: harassment, s 38 contract workers; Police officers: s 39 identity of employer, s 40 interpretation; Partners: s 41, partnerships, s 42 limited liability partnerships, s 43 interpretation; The Bar: s 44 barristers, s 45 advocates; Office holders: s 46 personal offices, s 47 public offices: appointments, etc, s 48 public offices: recommendations for appointments, etc., s 49 interpretation and exceptions; Qualifications: s 50 qualification bodies, s 51 interpretation; Employment services: s 52 employment service providers, s 53 interpretation; Trade organisations: s 54 trade organisations; Local authority members: s 55 official business of members, s 56 interpretation
4. s 57 Non-discrimination rule, s 58 Communications
5. Sex equality: s 59 Relevant types of work, s 60 Equal work, s 61 Sex equality clause, s 62 Sex equality rule, s 63 Sex equality rule: consequential alteration of schemes, s 64 Defence of material factor, s 65 Exclusion of sex discrimination provisions, s 66 Sex discrimination in relation to contractual pay; Pregnancy and maternity equality: s 67 Relevant types of work, s 68 Maternity equality clause, s 69 Maternity equality clause: pay, s 70 Maternity equality rule, s 71 Exclusion of pregnancy and maternity discrimination provisions; Disclosure of information: s 72 Discussions with colleagues, s 73 Gender pay gap information; Supplementary: s 74 Colleagues, s 75 Interpretation and exceptions
6. s 76 Ships and hovercraft, s 77 Offshore work, s 78 Interpretation and exceptions
7. s 182, reasonable adjustments; s 183 improvements to let dwelling houses
8. statutory provisions, national security, charities, sport, general, age

External links

• Framework For a Fairer Future - Government Equalities Office
• Parliament page for the progress of the Bill
• Government Equalities Office page on the Equality Bill