Bodies sign up for equality
From BELFAST TELEGRAPH June 29th, 2000
By Desmond McCartan
PLANS for more public bodies in Northern Ireland to sign up to schemes to
promote equality are on the cards, MPs have heard. NIO Minister George Howarth
told a Commons committee that all the bodies named under the Northern Ireland
Act 1998 (Designation of Public Authorities) Order were the first "tranche".
The Government is aiming to see further organisations - including possibly
the BBC - come within the legislation, which was approved by MPs last night.
Bodies designated as "public authorities" will have a statutory duty in
their functions to have regard "to the need to promote equality of opportunity"
and "to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of
different religious belief, political opinion or racial group." Those already
listed under legislation include Customs and Excise, Inland Revenue, Northern
Ireland Court Service, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, the NIO
and the Probation Board. Mr Howarth told MPs that promotion of equality
was an issue of "particular importance" in the context of Northern Ireland
and stemmed from the Belfast Agreement. The Agreement had laid the foundation
for a "new dispensation" based on respect for rights and a commitment to
equality. "This Order is but another important step in that process," he
said. He said the Government wanted to see a society "free from discrimination".
Tory spokesman John Taylor and Labour MP Dr Norman Godman referred to a
complaint by Joan Harbinson, head of the Equality Commission, that the NIO
had failed to acknowledge a letter from her about consulting on the terms
of the Order. Mr Howarth blamed pressure of work on the department, and
said it had been an oversight, which he regretted. |
