The Government has no plans to commence Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 in England. We have stated on many occasions that this duty, which requires a public body, in taking strategic decisions, to have due regard to the desirability of exercising them in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage, would be ineffectual. As merely a \u201cdue regard\u201d duty, it requires no specific action from the public body concerned, and risks becoming a tick-box exercise, complied with to minimise the risk of litigation rather than to promote real change in society. The duty is also wrongly focussed on equalising socio-economic outcomes rather than opportunities.<\/p>
The Government\u2019s preferred approach is to progress specific policies and practical actions that will deliver real change. We are promoting social mobility and tackling inequality through a range of initiatives \u2013 for example in education, through reforms to the welfare system, and by giving greater developmental devolution in England and rebalancing the economy through schemes such as the Towns Fund.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-04-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "186244"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-04-29T09:31:15.537Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Equality"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will implement section 1 of the Equality Act 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"} ], "uin" : "187196"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1311097", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1311097/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We want all LGBT people to be able to live and prosper in modern Britain. We listened closely to all those who responded to the consultation on the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and our response was published on 22 September 2020, stating that it is the Government\u2019s view that the balance struck in this legislation is correct. There are proper checks and balances in the system as well as support for people who want to change their legal sex.<\/p>
However, it is clear that we need to improve the process and experience that transgender people have when applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). That is why we are digitising the process and reducing the fee to lessen the administrative burden on individuals who want to legally change their gender and ensure that no one faces financial barriers when doing so. We want to make sure that applying for a GRC is as straightforward and dignified as possible.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-04-26T16:27:56.623Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-04-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Gender Recognition"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of updating the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to include self-declaration for transgender and non-binary people.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4511", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ealing Central and Acton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Rupa Huq"} ], "uin" : "185446"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1310603", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1310603/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are committed to fulfilling our obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); our interim report to the CEDAW Committee is due to be published and available online in the coming weeks. This report will set out the steps taken, in different parts of the UK, to implement four of the recommendations identified in 2019 by the Committee in its concluding observations.<\/p>
The substantive provisions of CEDAW are already largely reflected in existing domestic legislation, such as the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK has strong human rights protections within a comprehensive and well-established constitutional and legal system. We have a longstanding tradition of ensuring rights and liberties are protected domestically, and of fulfilling our international human rights obligations.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-04-26T16:28:33.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-04-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she has taken to incorporate the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women into domestic law.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4786", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Zarah Sultana"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Zarah Sultana"} ], "uin" : "184558"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1310105", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1310105/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 would require a public body, in taking strategic decisions, to have due regard to the desirability of exercising them in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage. As a \u201cdue regard\u201d duty, this requires no specific action from the public body concerned, and risks becoming a tick-box exercise, complied with to minimise the risk of legal challenge rather than to promote real change in society. It is also wrongly focussed on equalising socio-economic outcomes rather than opportunities.<\/p>
Instead this Government prefers to progress specific policies and practical actions that will deliver real change. We are promoting social mobility and tackling inequality through a range of initiatives \u2013 for example in education, through reforms to the welfare system, and by giving greater developmental devolution in England and rebalancing the economy through schemes such as the Towns Fund.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-04-23T11:33:47.167Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Equality"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 to help (a) tackle existing disadvantages and inequalities and (b) protect socio-economic rights.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4511", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ealing Central and Acton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Rupa Huq"} ], "uin" : "183222"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1310127", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1310127/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Our schools and teachers are committed to supporting all pupils to thrive and reach their potential in a safe and respectful environment.<\/p>
The Department for Education is also rolling out new inclusive statutory Relationships Education in all primary schools and Relationships and Sex Education in all secondary schools, so that children leave school prepared for life in modern, diverse, Britain.<\/p>
As the Equality and Human Rights Commission is a non-departmental public body, it is for them to comment on any guidance they plan to publish. We are not able to provide further information on this.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-04-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-04-27T15:13:28.443Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transgender People: Pupils"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to her Department's LGBT Action Plan: Annual progress report 2018 to 2019, published in July 2019, when the Equality and Human Rights Commission plans to issue guidance for schools on supporting trans pupils.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4623", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tonia Antoniazzi"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gower"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tonia Antoniazzi"} ], "uin" : "183247"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1309810", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1309810/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to providing support to all those that need it, including new mothers and children born during the pandemic, as we recover from the impact of COVID-19. During the crisis we have rolled out unprecedented levels of support to protect jobs and income for both women and men, including via the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Universal Credit uplift.<\/p>
Financial support available for those who are pregnant or new parents includes Child Benefit, the Sure Start Maternity Grant, and the Healthy Start Scheme, as well as Maternity Allowance or paid parental leave for those who are eligible and/or Universal Credit where relevant.<\/p>
We also recognise the impact of the pandemic and restrictions on people\u2019s mental wellbeing and are doing our utmost to ensure that mental health services are there for everyone who needs them. The Government's mental health recovery action plan, backed by £500 million, will support hundreds of thousands of people with mental health issues.<\/p>
All specialist and in-patient perinatal mental health services have remained available during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, having moved at pace during the early stages to be able to deliver digital and remote support.<\/p>
Since 1 April 2020, GPs are required to offer a maternal postnatal consultation at 6-8 weeks after birth, focusing on a review of the mother\u2019s physical and mental health and general wellbeing. This service has also continued throughout the pandemic.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-04-28T15:50:15.267Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-04-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Babies and Mothers: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with Ministers in HM Treasury on the allocation of specific funding from the public purse to (a) new mothers and (b) children born since the outbreak of covid-19.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "uin" : "182050"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1309563", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1309563/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The LGBT Advisory Panel was created under the previous administration and the term of all panel members ended on 31 March. The Minister for Women & Equalities has written to panel members to thank them for their contributions. I will shortly set out further details on our plans for the International LGBT Conference and banning conversion therapy, including how we will engage those with relevant expertise.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kemi Badenoch"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-04-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "180999"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-04-20T16:33:40.23Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-04-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "LGBT Advisory Panel"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will provide details on the plans and date for the establishment of a replacement Government LGBT advisory panel.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dwyfor Meirionnydd"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Liz Saville Roberts"} ], "uin" : "181362"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1308721", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1308721/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK has made significant progress over the years in tackling racism. This Government made manifesto commitments to tackle prejudice, racism and discrimination and is committed to making further progress.<\/p>