Office for Equality and Opportunity launched by government

The government has announced the launch of the Office for Equality and Opportunity, which will oversee equality policy and legislation in the UK.

It replaces the Equality Hub, and will ensure “people of all backgrounds will benefit from the government’s commitments to breaking down barriers, boosting opportunity and ensuring that equality is at the heart of every mission”, the government said.

The Women and Equalities Ministerial Team, led by Bridget Phillipson, will sit across all key areas of equality, including disability policy, ethnic disparities, gender equality and LGBT+ rights.

Philipson, who is education secretary and minister for women and equalities, said establishing the new office was “just the first step” in ensuring everyone has access to opportunities.

She said: “We know too many people across our country face unjust barriers, and that’s why we will ensure equality and opportunity are at the very heart of our all missions.

“I am proud to stand alongside our strong Women and Equalities Ministerial team, working tirelessly to address the root causes of inequalities and socio-economic disadvantage.

“Together, we will drive real, lasting change because background should never be a barrier to success.”

The Office for Equality and Opportunity, which sits within the Cabinet Office, said its immediate priorities will be:

• strengthening the legal duty for employers to create and maintain working conditions free from harassment (through the Worker Protection Act, which comes into force later this month);
• enshrining in law the full right to equal pay for ethnic minority people and disabled people;
• delivering a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices;
• championing the rights of disabled people; and
• focusing on socio-economic disparities.

The role of the new office in the upcoming Employment Rights Bill will be to ensure workplace rights are “fit for a modern economy”, the government added.

“The Plan to Make Work Pay will support more people to stay in work, make work more family friendly and improve living standards. This will put more money in working people’s pockets to spend, boosting economic growth, resilience and conditions for innovation.”

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