- Equality Hub replaced by Office for Equality and Opportunity
- Equality and opportunity to run through the Government's missions and work
- The Women and Equalities ministerial team to sit across key areas of equality
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 Office for Equality and Opportunity will cover the overall framework of equality legislation in the UK, including disability policy, ethnic disparities, gender equality and LGBT+ rights.
Although there is still progress to be made, the government is determined to dismantle the any ceiling on people's ambitions - ensuring women's equality becomes a reality, tackling pay discrimination at work, and more.
Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, Bridget Phillipson MP, 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.
Establishing the Office for Equality and Opportunity is just the first step as we ensure that every person has access to the opportunities that allow them to thrive.
Some of the Office for Equality and Opportunity's key immediate priorities will be:
- strengthening the legal duty for employers to create and maintain working conditions free from harassment;
- 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;
- focusing on socio-economic disparities.
The formation of the Office for Equality and Opportunity accompanies new appointments to the Women and Equalities ministerial team which sits across key areas of equality, such as education, social security, children and young people as well as international development.
Notes:
The full Women and Equalities ministerial team is as follows:
- The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP Minister for Women and Equalities
- The Rt Hon Anneliese Dodds MP Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
- The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP Minister of State (Minister for Social Security and Disability)
- Seema Malhotra MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities)
- Dame Nia Griffith DBE MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities)
- Lord Collins of Highbury Government spokesperson for Equalities
- The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern Government spokesperson for Equalities
On the Office for Equality and Opportunity:
- The Office for Equality and Opportunity in the Cabinet Office will cover the overall framework of equality legislation in the UK, including disability policy, ethnic disparities, gender equality and LGBT+ rights.
