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<p>During the passage of the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in the Commons the Government
committed to providing a statement about the impact of all EU exit bills on equalities
legislation (which includes provisions on disability as a protected characteristic).
The Government’s commitment requires the relevant Minister to make and publish a statement
for each EU exit bill indicating:</p><ol><li><p>a. whether the bill amends, repeals
or revokes any part of the Equality Acts 2006 or 2010 or any secondary legislation
made under those Acts and, if it does make such changes, an explanation of the effect
of each change; and</p></li><li><p>b. that in relation to the policy which is given
effect by the Bill, the relevant Minister “has had due regard to the need to eliminate
discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited
by or under the Equality Act 2010.”</p></li><li><p>c. The Government will be making
such a statement in respect of the WAB (which will be set out in the Explanatory Notes
accompanying the Bill on its introduction); and this analysis has been carried out
to inform decision-making on the Withdrawal Agreement and as preparation for the equality
statement.</p></li></ol><p>The UK Government is committed to ensuring that there is
no regression inequalities as we leave the EU. The Equality Act 2010 sets out wide-ranging
equalities protections, and incorporates virtually all existing EU equalities law
and Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) case law. In some areas, domestic
legislation goes further than EU requirements - for example the public sector equality
duty, which places a proactive duty on public authorities to consider how their policies
or decisions would affect people who are protected under the Equality Act. There are
also domestic requirements that ensure non-discrimination in access to goods and services
on grounds of disability.</p><p>The Withdrawal Agreement also sets out a commitment
to 'no diminution of rights, safeguards or equality of opportunity' in Northern Ireland,
as set out in the Rights, Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity Chapter of the Belfast
(Good Friday) Agreement, results from the UK's withdrawal from the EU. A dedicated
mechanism will be put in place to ensure this process.</p><p> </p>
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