Equality Act 2006

Monday 16th May 2005 at 12:12 AM

Reintroduced this parliament after it failed to make it through before dissolution, the Equality Bill will create a single equality and human rights body.

The Bill will establish a single Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), replacing the three existing equality bodies – the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission – with one that prevents discrimination on the grounds of age, religion and beliefs, and sexual orientation throughout British society.

The Bill aims to introduce a “gender duty” on public authorities requiring them to promote equality of opportunity between men and women. Furthermore, the Bill proposes extending the “prohibition of sex discrimination to cover to cover all public functions in line with the Race Relations Act and the Disability Discrimination Act.”

The government wants to outlaw discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of religion or belief. Discrimination on the grounds of race or disability is already provided for in previous Acts.

The launch of a white paper in May 2004 started the government along the path towards the new body. An Equality Bill was introduced in the last session but failed to make progress beyond second reading in the Commons.

House of Lords

First reading: May 18 2005 (HL Bill 2)

Second reading: June 15 2005

Committee: