Equality duty

Equalities minister Lynne Featherstone has launched a consultation on the public sector equality duty which forms part of the Equality Act 2010.

The consultation asks for views on draft regulations on the specific equality duties and which public bodies should be subject to them.

And in a change from the previous Labour government’s proposals, the consultation asks if equality requirements should be removed from the public procurement process, meaning that suppliers would no longer be obliged to fulfil specific criteria in order to win a contract.

Critics say that removing legislative obligations will allow some employers to do the bare minimum.