EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS ON SPENDING REDUCTIONS

That this House believes that all equality impact assessments, including race equality impact assessments, should be carried out prior to any public sector cuts affecting funding, posts or services, and as appropriate following the implementation of the Equality Act 2010; notes with concern the Government's admission that cuts will have a disproportionate and adverse impact on equality generally and race equality specifically; urges the Government fully to consider its duty to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, promote equal opportunities and promote good relations between people of different racial groups and the impact Government cuts will have on their ability to fulfil that duty; calls on the Government to ensure that the Equality and Human Rights Commission is adequately funded and resourced so that it can enforce the equality duties; and further urges the relevant Ministers to meet representatives of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK, the 1990 Trust, and the Public and Commercial Services Union to discuss these issues.