Overview

The Equality and Diversity (Reform) Bill aims to prohibit affirmative or positive action in public sector recruitment and appointments, and to repeal the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002. This means that public bodies would be prevented from taking steps to favor particular groups based on characteristics like race, sex, or disability during hiring.

Description

This bill makes it unlawful for public authorities to use any form of affirmative or positive action in recruitment and appointments. "Affirmative or positive action" is defined as any action intended to benefit a specific group based on age, sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, disability, religion, or socio-economic status. This includes setting and pursuing targets for representation of specific groups. The bill also repeals the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002, removing any existing legislation that may have allowed for preferential treatment of women in candidate selection for elections. Breaching this law would be considered a breach of public duty.

Government Spending

The bill is unlikely to significantly impact government spending. The main effect would be a change in recruitment practices within the public sector, potentially leading to administrative cost savings from simpler recruitment processes. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Public sector employers: They will no longer be able to implement affirmative action policies in recruitment and will face legal consequences for doing so.
• Under-represented groups: Members of groups historically underrepresented in public sector employment may experience a negative impact, as policies aimed at increasing their representation would be prohibited.
• Political parties: The repeal of the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002 will affect how political parties select candidates, potentially impacting women's representation in politics.

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