Labour have secured an important three hour debate on Equality Impact Assessments for the Committee of the Whole House of the Finance Bill next Tuesday.
The party have tabled a ‘New Clause’ to require the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ‘carry out and publish a review of the effects of the provisions of the Bill on equality in relation to households with different levels of income, people with protected characteristics, the Treasury’s public sector equality duty and on a regional basis’.
Labour have also tabled a second New Clause to require the Office for Budgetary Responsibility to carry out a review of the effects of the provisions of the Bill on equality in relation to households with different levels of income, people with protected characteristics, the Treasury’s public sector equality duty and on a regional basis.
Dawn Butler MP, Shadow Equalities Secretary said:
“Despite Theresa May herself warning in 2010 that cuts would disproportionality impact on those with protected characteristics, her government continues to pursue an economic agenda based on discrimination and inequality which has hit women the hardest”.
Stephen Morgan MP said:
“It’s hugely important that budgets are audited to understand their impact on communities, so that equality is at the heart of economic policy-making. Labour’s actions on this have my full support”.
