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Welsh Government consults on which public bodies should be covered by socio-economic duty of Equality Act 2010

The Welsh Government is to consult on which public bodies should be captured by the socio-economic duty under Part 1, Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 and how the duty should be delivered.

Jane Hutt, Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, said the consultation, A More Equal Wales – Commencing the Socio-economic Duty, marked “a crucial step in our work to safeguard equality and human rights in Wales”.

She added: “The purpose of the duty is to ensure specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions, such as deciding priorities and setting objectives, consider (undertake an assessment) how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.”

The responses to the consultation will inform guidance to ensure the socio-economic duty works for those public bodies to which it applies and delivers for the people of Wales, Hutt said.

“Commencing the duty gives us an opportunity to do things differently in Wales, putting tackling inequality at the heart of strategic decision-making. This will build on the good work public bodies are already doing to tackle inequality.”

The consultation aligned with the Welsh Government’s White Paper A More Equal Wales: Strengthening Social Partnership, which was launched earlier this month.

This is intended to strengthen social partnership arrangements and will lead to legislation to put the Welsh Government’s social partnership approach in statute.

The socio-economic duty consultation is available here. It will close on 17 January 2020.

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