The Equality Act 2010 (Authorities subject to a duty regarding Socio-economic Inequalities) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2021

Welsh Statutory Instruments

2021 No. 1351 (W. 350)

Equality, Wales

Local Government, Wales

The Equality Act 2010 (Authorities subject to a duty regarding Socio-economic Inequalities) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2021

Made

at 9.35 a.m. on 1 December 2021

Coming into force

3 December 2021

The Welsh Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the power conferred on them by section 2(4)(a) of the Equality Act 2010(1).

A draft of this instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, Senedd Cymru in accordance with section 209(2), (3)(a) and (6)(2) of that Act.

Title and commencement

1.—(1) The title of these Regulations is the Equality Act 2010 (Authorities subject to a duty regarding Socio-economic Inequalities) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2021.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 3 December 2021.

Amendment of the Equality Act 2010

2.  In section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 (public sector duty regarding socio-economic inequalities), in subsection (3A)(3), after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) a corporate joint committee established by regulations made under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021(4);”.

Rebecca Evans

Minister for Finance and Local Government, one of the Welsh Ministers

At 9.35 a.m. on 1 December 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations are connected with Regulations which establish certain corporate joint committees under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.

Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”) provides the list of authorities that are subject to a public sector duty regarding socio-economic inequalities (“the duty”). The Welsh Ministers may, under section 2(4)(a) of the 2010 Act, add a relevant authority to the list of authorities that are subject to the duty. “Relevant authority” means a devolved Welsh authority (within the meaning given by section 157A of the Government of Wales Act 2006) whose functions correspond or are similar to those of an authority for the time being specified in subsection (3) or referred to in subsection (4) of section 1 of the 2010 Act.

These Regulations exercise the power in section 2(4)(a) of the 2010 Act to amend section 1 of that Act in order to add corporate joint committees to the list of relevant authorities subject to the duty.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to the Regulations which establish corporate joint committees and connected regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared. A copy can be obtained from the Local Government Strategic Finance Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.

(1)

2010 c. 15. Section 2(4)(a) enables the Welsh Ministers to amend section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 to add a relevant authority to the list of authorities subject to the duty under section 1. “Relevant authority” is defined in section 2(6), which was amended by paragraph 83(1) and (2) of Schedule 6 to the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4).

(2)

The reference in section 209(6) to the National Assembly for Wales now has effect as a reference to Senedd Cymru, by virtue of section 150A(2) of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32).

(3)

Subsection (3A) was inserted by S.I. 2021/295 (W. 72).

(4)

2021 asc 1.