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Wednesday, 3 December 2008
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Government, citizens and rights
Equality Bill
The purpose of this Bill is to make Britain a fairer place, where people have the opportunity to succeed whatever their race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs. Fairness and an absence of discrimination are the hallmarks of a modern, decent society, with a strong economy, which draws on the talents of all.
The main elements of the Bill
The main elements of this Bill are:
- making Britain fairer through a single equality duty which will require public bodies to consider the diverse needs and requirements of their workforce, and the communities they serve, when developing employment policies and planning services
- making public bodies more transparent - if inequality remains hidden, it can’t be measured and progress cannot be made
- improving enforcement
- allowing political parties to use all-women election shortlists until 2030
- making the law more accessible and easier to understand by bringing together nine major pieces of legislation and around 100 other laws in a single Bill
Additional links
Draft Legislative Programme
The public consultation on proposals for new laws has ended - the Government will now be considering the responses received
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