Community Empowerment, Housing and Economic Regeneration Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to: create greater opportunities for community and individual empowerment, reform local and regional governance arrangements to promote economic regeneration and continue the Government’s programme of housing reform.

Intellect view: Intellect welcomes the introduction of the Community Empowerment, Housing and Economic Regeneration Bill. It promotes local democracy by enabling citizens to get involved in the development of local services, and echoes the transformational government approach which puts citizens at the heart of public service delivery.

Equality Bill The purpose of the Bill is to: promote fairness and equality of opportunity; tackle disadvantage and discrimination; and modernise and strengthen law to make it fit for the challenges that our society faces today and in the future.

Intellect view: Intellect welcomes the Bill but recognises the huge impact it could have on businesses. It is an ambitious bill which will look to streamline the existing discrimination legislation -expect a lengthy consultation process. There are a number of specific areas which will impact company’s behaviour , such as equal pay, with a proposed ban on clauses prohibiting employees from discussing their pay and through public sector procurement. Public sector organisations will also have to consider a wide range of diversity issues when delivering services to the public, and in their employment practices. Although many of the proposed changes and requirements are positive the Bill will not be able to fully address the underlying causes of inequality & discrimination that many employees and sections of the general public face.