Single Equality Act

Since the first anti-discrimination legislation was passed the number of legal provisions to deal with discrimination has grown very rapidly: there are now more than 35 Acts, 52 Statutory Instruments, 13 Codes of Practice, 3 Codes of Guidance and 16 EC Directives and Recommendations. This makes it difficult for anyone to understand their rights and responsibilities, and there are numerous inconsistencies, with some people having more rights than others. The BHA is one of many organisations campaigning for a complete overhaul of discrimination legislation which would harmonise and simplify the law. 

In the past few years, before the Equality Bill was published in April 2009, we worked hard to ensure that many of our key concerns would be reflected in the Bill. For example, we made detailed responses to a number of consultations during the Bill's development, including a submission to the Discrimination Law Review (DLR) in January 2006, followed by another submission in December 2007, after the DLR became a Green Paper. In October 2005, we provided the Equalities Review with a detailed analysis of the issues for humanists and others with non religious beliefs, and in June 2006 we responded to the Equalities Review's Interim Report.

What’s happening now?

The Government has introduced the Equality Bill 2009, which represents a single charter for equality, which will be better understood by citizens than previous fragmented law and around which a new culture of equality can cohere with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) as its watchdog.

In May 2009, we sent all MPs and Peers our briefing for the Second Reading of the Equality Bill in the Commons, in which we set out the most pressing and relevant issues for humanists in the context of the Bill, and suggest amendments to the legislation, which would end long-standing religious privileges and discrimination against non-religious people in a number of areas.

The British Humanist Association gave evidence on 9th June to the House of Commons Equality Bill Committee, which is scrutinising the Equality Bill until July 2009. Ahead of that evidence session, we have submitted a memorandum of written evidence to the Committee and a briefing on amendments.

On 2nd December 2009, the Equality Bill reached its Report Stage and 'Third Reading' in the Commons. We briefed MPs, asking them to support amendments to the Public Sector Equality Duty, and to the section on services provided by religious organisations; amendments which we believe would help to tackle unnecessary discrimination and avoid giving more privileges to religion.

What are we doing?

We will be working closely with our supporters in Parliament and other organisations as this Bill progresses.

What can you do?

Keep an eye on this page as the legislation begins its journey through Parliament.

You can also support the BHA's campaigns by becoming a member. Campaigns cost money – quite a lot of money – and we need your financial support. Instead or in addition, you can make a donation to the BHA.