(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order appoints 6th April 2007 for the coming into effect of the Code of Practice on the duty to promote gender equality entitled the “Gender Equality Duty Code of Practice (England and Wales)”.
The Code has been prepared and issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission under section 76E(1) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. It provides practical guidance to public authorities subject to the duties imposed by sections 76A(1), 76B(1) and 76C(2) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. Section 76A(1) imposes a general duty on public authorities to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment and to promote equality of opportunity between men and women. Sections 76B(1) and 76C(2) provide powers to impose specific duties, which have been exercised in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/2930), which imposes specific duties on listed public authorities in respect of their functions in England and Wales and their functions concerning reserved matters in Scotland. The Order also imposes duties on listed cross-border authorities (within the meaning of section 88(5) of the Scotland Act 1998) in respect of their functions in Scotland which relate to reserved matters. The Order does not impose duties on any public authorities all of whose functions are public functions in relation to Wales. A further Code of Practice giving practical guidance to Scottish public authorities is to be issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission in due course.
A copy of the regulatory impact assessment in respect of the duties dealt with in the Code of Practice is available at www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk and has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.
A copy of the Code of Practice (ISBN 978 0 11 753978 5) may be obtained from The Stationery Office or can be downloaded free of charge from the Equal Opportunities Commission website: www.eoc.org.uk.