Government launches equality proposal consultations

The Government today announced the start of a consultation process on a single Equality Bill for Northern Ireland.

The concept of a single Bill was originally advanced in the Assembly’s First Programme for Government, which was published in 2001.

This envisaged that a single Equality Bill would harmonise existing equality and anti-discrimination legislation and embrace new aspects of the equality agenda, such as age and sexual orientation.

Speaking at the launch in Parliament Buildings, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, John Spellar said: “This process of consultation on a single Equality Bill, is a very important development that will ultimately provide the people of Northern Ireland with clear and concise anti-discrimination and equality law, in one legal instrument.”

The Minister stressed that public consultation was the key to a successful single Equality Bill.

“This consultation document does not provide definitive proposals," Mr Spellar said. "No decisions on the content of the Bill will be taken in advance of the type of comprehensive and inclusive consultation process that we are embarking on today."

The consultation process on a single Equality Bill will run until November 12, 2004.

(MB)