Human Rights

Parliamentary Briefing: Equality Bill, Second Reading, House of Commons, Monday 11th May 2009

RADAR warmly welcomes the Equality Bill which will replace the current mishmash of equalities legislation with a single, enhanced framework of fairness for all.

The rationale for the Bill is clear. We desperately need stronger, clearer, more comprehensive and more easily enforceable legislation to address the equality gaps that hold so many disabled people back and limit their contribution to our economy. For example, disabled people of working age are twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled people, twice as likely to have no qualifications as non-disabled people and experience routine discrimination when trying to access goods and services. Eliminating discrimination in these areas would go a long way towards freeing people to use their talents.

This is not just vital for equality and social justice it is vital to our economy. UK businesses need clear comprehensive legislation to enable them to do equality better and therefore gain competitive advantage. The companies doing well now are often the ones who invest most in recruiting and developing all the talents and who are most concerned about accessible services. Excluding the one in five Britons with a long-term health condition or disability from full citizenship makes bad business sense.

RADARโ€™s concern is to ensure the Equality Bill delivers the best possible framework for delivering disability equality and building for economic recovery.

Download: Word Document: Parliamentary Briefing: Equality Bill, Second Reading, House of Commons, Monday 11th May 2009 (155 KB)
By: RADAR
When: 7/2/2014

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