SEX EQUALITY AND COMMISSION FOR EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Early day motion 1799, tabled 13 March 2006 by Julie Morgan (Labour). Signed by 110 members.

That this House notes the 30th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act; commends the work of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and its contribution to progressing action on sex equality over the last 30 years; recognises that over the coming year the EOC will be required to take the lead in promoting the new gender equality duty on public bodies, due to come into force in April 2007; further recognises that the EOC has been a strong supporter of the proposed Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), sharing the Government's vision for that new body; further recognises that the EOC has played a pivotal role in fostering cross-party consensus around the CEHR and also across a range of sex equality stakeholders as well as a leading role within the Equality and Diversity Forum; values that contribution as fundamental to a successful transition to the CEHR in 2007; and urges the Government to ensure that this contribution is not undermined by a lack of funding for the EOC in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Signatures by party: Labour 97, Liberal Democrat 9, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Conservative 1, UUP 1.