Introduction | The Bill | Who's Saying What? | Updates | Consultation

Introduction

The Equality Bill has now been published and contains a raft of measures designed to tackle inequality and help Britain become a fairer society by simplifying legislation, improving public services and extending protection to a wide range of groups facing discrimination.

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, today said that the Equality Bill will "remove the roadblocks to finding the talent to drive our economic recovery".

Full details on the bill, including an outline briefing on the Commission's response, can be found at: www.equalityhumanrights.com

A Fairer Future, Single Equalities Bill.

The Bill

The basic objectives of the bill are to

• Strengthen the law
• Streamline the law
• Support wider work to promote equality.

Consultation

Who's Saying What About The Equalities Bill?

SINGLE EQUALITIES BILL WILL BRING GENDER PAY INEQUALITIES INTO THE OPEN

The Single Equality Bill, published on 27 April 2009 will mean employers must reveal how salaries of their male staff compare with their female colleagues'.

The Bill has been designed to deal with inequality due to race, gender, disability, social class and age. The Government hopes the bill will narrow the gulf between rich and poor in the UK and close the gender pay gap.

But one employment lawyer argues the changes will be "unwelcome" for employers.

Read more from HR

OPPORTUNITY NOW - HOW THE BILL WILL AFFECT PEOPLE

Published on April 24 2009, the Single Equality bill has been developed from the June 2007 intial Equality Impact Assessment on which the Government consulted.

To Read the main points of the bill relevant to Opportunity Now members and to accesslinks to Government web sites to provide further information please click here

HARRIET HARMAN PLEDGES BILL WILL HELP

Minister for Equality Harriet Harman pledged the bill would help to "narrow the gap between rich and poor and make Britain more equal". To read more from the BBC Website please click here.

UPDATES

Progress of the Equality Bill