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Harman’s equality rules to decide £220bn contracts
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent18.11.09
Harriet Harman today sought to seize control of £220 billion a year of public contracts to drive through an unprecedented equality crusade.
Labour's deputy leader aims to use public procurement to tackle discrimination in companies across Britain.
Town halls and other public bodies would be able to offer work to firms depending on the gender and race of their staff and policies in this area.
However, business leaders raised concerns over the move in the Equalities Bill.
Abigail Morris, employment expert at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The Government seems intent on making it even harder for small businesses to access public funds by putting extra hurdles in their way. We do not accept that public sector procurement should be used as a lever to promote equality outcomes.”
Ms Harman, the equalities minister, argues that the measure could improve firms, because those with a more diverse workforce often perform better.
Under the Bill, firms will also be able to favour equally-qualified women over men, and Asian and black candidates over white people, when recruiting or promoting staff.
Employment tribunals will be strengthened and there will be a new duty on public bodies to narrow the gap between the rich and poor.
Town halls could be expected to encourage pupils from more deprived backgrounds to apply for good schools outside their local area, and regional development agencies may be required to award more grants to poorer areas.
The Bill also introduces voluntary gender pay audits, with the threat of making them mandatory, for businesses with more than 250 employees and for public authorities with more than 150 staff. The audits are intended to identify organisations that pay higher rates to men than women.
Public bodies will also get a new equality duty covering race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion.
The Equalities Bill will ban age discrimination outside the workplace, when buying or receiving goods and for services such as healthcare.
The legislation also offers more protection for pregnant women, bans discrimination in private clubs and offers more safeguards for carers.
The Bill aims make it easier for people to understand their rights by streamlining the law, distilling nine pieces of legislation and some 100 other measures into a single act.
Reader views (14)
Let us hope that in the coming election this stupid woman will be thrown out with the present government as white working people are being penalised.
- Leslie Hales, Bodmin UK
Lots of negative male responses.
Equality is already a law - The changes to the bill are simply to help reinforce that law and add some transparancy and the ability to measure to businesses with real issues. I believe that there is a problem having recently found out that I am paid significantly less than my male colleagues for the same role. The risk businesses are exposed to could be vast, measuring and correcting issues in a proactive way has got to be a better approach than tribunal.
- Sarah, London
Is she working for the BNP on the quiet, I heard half a dozen white men in a pub last night mortified by this proposed new law.
They were all saying they would vote BNP and they were all professionals wearing suits.
- Staker, London
what's new this Governmentnever apointed ANYONE on merit.
rory
- Rory Conway, cork , ireland
Another example of the parallel universe in which politicians live. UK plc has yet to emerge from the severest recession in living memory, and needs every break it can get in order to restart the economy and generate the wealth needed to repay the huge debts incurred on our behalf by this government.
Does Harman seriously believe that by imposing yet another layer of bureaucracy upon business at this time, she will seriously improve the employment prospects of anyone bar the jobsworths who will be lavishly rewarded for policing this "crusade"?
The stupidity of those, in both parties, who purport to be fit to steer this country to recovery beggars belief.
- John C, Leatherhead, UK
The last time we saw someone in power promoting their own social engineering agenda was in Germany in the 1930's. This government has exceeded his mandate time and time again will will take at least a generation to fix. For the good of the ordinary bulk of people who wish to work and get on in the country get rid of these people before their plans to make us a worthy albania turn us into a bankrupt third world state.
- Paul ., Central London
At last - I'm glad to see Harman taking this issue seriously. She's right to assume that equality will only become a reality when business is made to comply...I agree with her stand and hope it she succeeds!
- Anna, London
If we had two women at the head of the government, one PM the other the deputy and one of them was Harriet would she be prepared to stand down in favour of a man so that there was equality at the top of government. Not so funny now is it Harriet?
- Brian G, Norfolk Gorleston
Hopefully this totally insane piece of truly appalling legislation will be one of the many announced in the Queen's Speech that thankfully will never get as far as becoming law.
If by some horrific mischance it does get rammed through by, the soon to be deservedly out on their ears Labour government then one of David Cameron's first acts as Prime Minister MUST be to completely repeal the entire mess.
- Matthew, London, UK
"Under the Bill, firms will also be able to favour equally-qualified women over men, and Asian and black candidates over white people, when recruiting or promoting staff". So now men and white people are discriminated aganist by this bill! GET THESE CLOWNS OUT NOW! It will takes years to reverse all these absurd laws and polices.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London
This woman is simply bonkers, you can`t use procurement to drive your mad agenda - there are far more important things to worry about with public sector contracts.
- Nickspurs, London, London
This is an absolute disgrace and is legalised discrimmination, sexism and racism. I want to know if Cameron will reverse such a bill and any underhand tactics to push this policy through, before the Tories get my vote.
- D, Kentish Town
".. unprecedented equality crusade."
What part of the Bill actually deals with 'equality'? Because promoting one individual over another because of the colour of their skin is blatant racism.
The Bill is legalised racism and the 90% whites of the UK will have something to say about it. Honestly if the policies of this bloody government haven't already done enough to create huge divisions in society allowing the likes of the BNP to step in, this Bill will undoubtedly make matter much much worse.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
The woman has lost the plot. First she wants to ban Christmas and all mention of it but promote Eid and Diwali. Now she wants to ban white people from being involved in any clubs, ban them from tendering for public contracts, and reduce all their pay. I have no problem with ethnic minorities, women, the rich, the poor or any prejudice you can think of. What I have a problem with is this woman. Why can't she leave things alone. Let tenders go to the most competitive company. Let people socialise however, wherever and whenever they like so long as its legal. Let people celebrate their own festivals and cultures how they like. This country is bad enough with minorities being given too many perks and the majority left to suffer without this nutcase making it worse.
- Brendan, london
