Government changes to equality laws are 'reckless', warns TUC

date: 19 November 2012

embargo: For immediate release

The TUC today (Monday) accused the Prime Minister of being reckless after he announced plans to scrap the requirement on government departments and other public bodies to undertake equality impact assessments before the introduction of any policy changes.

Responding to his speech at the CBI conference, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'The Prime Minister says he is committed to clamping down on discrimination in the workplace but at the same time is removing an essential measure for monitoring it.

'Equality impact assessments are not burdensome 'red tape'. They have proved invaluable in highlighting how proposed legislation could affect women and vulnerable workers.

'In the transport sector the axing of this requirement would allow staffing levels at stations to be changed without any regard to the impact this would have on female passengers' safety.

'This move smacks of a desperate attempt to placate the business lobby, which like the TUC, is deeply concerned at our economy's anaemic growth. But scrapping equality impact assessments would be reckless and is not the way to get our country moving again.'

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