Public sector to come under socio-economic equality duty

Public bodies in Scotland will be required to build reducing poverty and inequality into their decision making, under proposals put out to consultation today by the Scottish Government.

The introduction of a socio-economic duty was included in the UK Government’s Equality Act 2010, but has never been brought into force. With powers now devolved by the Scotland Act 2016, Scottish ministers have decided to act alone and are seeking views on how best to apply the duty across the public sector.

Under the duty, bodies like councils and the NHS will have to consider what more they can do to reduce poverty and inequality, whenever they make major decisions.

The consultation asks which public bodies should be subject to the duty, what they should have to do to demonstrate they are carrying it out, and how they might approach the links between different duties with a socio-economic focus.

Equalities Secretary Angela Constance commented on launching the consultation: “Tackling inequalities will never be an optional extra for this Government – it is core to everything we do. Implementing this duty, and requiring public bodies to put reducing inequalities at the heart of their decision making, is an important step. It further contributes to our actions on inclusive growth, ensuring increased economic prosperity goes hand in hand with a fairer, more equal country.

“Public bodies already do a huge amount to reduce inequalities, but with more than one in four children in poverty, we must all work together to do more and make a difference. The duty will further embed this into the DNA of public sector decision making – including that of Scottish ministers. It is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do."

John Wilkes, head of the Equality & Human Rights Commission in Scotland, added: “For the first time public bodies will be required to set out how their plans will help in reducing poverty. In recent years the number of people living in poverty has shrunk, but poverty has become more concentrated in some communities.

“The new socio-economic duty will help by focusing on how major decisions like the type of housing we build, our transport strategies and investment plans can narrow the gaps in experience between the most and the least advantaged in Scottish society."

Click here to access the consultation. In order to meet legislative timescales and enable the duty to be introduced in 2017, a shorter eight week period has been set for this consultation process, and the deadline for responses is 12 September 2017.