This resource is from the Issues section. This page contains details of the Discrimination Law Review.

Sections available here:

• The Discrimination Law Review
  • MPA and MPS joint equality statement of 6 December 2005
  • Covering letter from MPA Chief Executive to Kate Hepher, Discrimination Law Review Team, at the Women & Equality Unit, Communities and Local Government
  • The Discrimination Law Review (DLR)

The Discrimination Law Review

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) is an independent statutory body, established under The Greater London Authority Act 1999, and came into effect in July 2000. It exists to make sure that London’s police are accountable for the services they provide to people in the capital.

The Authority has achieved real benefits for the people of London. There are now over 31,000 police officers, the largest number ever, and London was first to introduce Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) - over 3,500 now provide extra public reassurance and tackle anti-social behaviour that affects our communities. Staff who support the policing of London now exceed 13,900.

The Authority’s tasks are to:

• increase community confidence and trust in London’s police service;
• secure continuous improvement in the way policing is provided in London;
• publish an Annual Policing Plan in consultation with London’s communities;
• set policing targets and monitors performance regularly against those targets;
• oversee the appointment and discipline of senior police officers;
• oversee formal inquiries and the implementation of their recommendations;
• be accountable for the management of the police budget.

An essential part of the Authority’s role is to listen to the real concerns of Londoners about crime and policing to inform the Annual Policing Plan and the setting of priorities for the forthcoming year.

The MPA promotes equality and diversity within the police service and is working in partnership to ensure all those who live and work in the capital are treated fairly and with respect.

MPA and MPS joint equality statement of 6 December 2005

“The Metropolitan Police Authority and Metropolitan Police Service are committed to the development of a customer-focussed workforce that respects, and is inclusive of, the diversity of the communities we serve and one in which individual talent and potential is recognised and cultivated.

We will continue, in a culture of fairness, to work towards the elimination of unlawful discrimination, the promotion of good relations between all persons and the promotion of equality of opportunity irrespective of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or working arrangement. We will strive to provide a working environment and service delivery that is free from harassment, bullying, or victimisation.

We jointly acknowledge our responsibilities towards the members of London’s diverse communities. We will engage with, and value the contributions of, our partners and continue to nurture positive relationships of constructive support and scrutiny.
Together we will work to achieve our common vision of making London the safest major city in the world through effective and efficient means, improving our internal working environment and delivering excellence in governance and service provision.”
The Metropolitan Police Authority strives to be an equal opportunities organisation which is required by statute – most directly, Section 404 of the Greater London Act 1999 - to promote equality of opportunity and to comply with other relevant equalities legislation.

(404. - (1) In exercising their functions, it shall be the duty of- 

(b) the Metropolitan Police Authority,

to comply with the requirement in subsection (2) below.

(2) The requirement is to have regard to the need-

(a) to promote equality of opportunity for all persons irrespective of their race, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation or religion;

(b) to eliminate unlawful discrimination; and

(c) to promote good relations between persons of different racial groups, religious beliefs and sexual orientation.)

It can be seen, therefore, that in performing its functions, in the light of its policy around equality & diversity, the Authority strives, effectively, to apply the highest point of the law for any diversity strand to each diversity strand (Gold Standard).

Covering letter from MPA Chief Executive to Kate Hepher, Discrimination Law Review Team, at the Women & Equality Unit, Communities and Local Government

4 September 2007

Dear Ms Hepher

Proposal for a Single Equality Bill for Great Britain

With this covering letter you will find our Authority’s response to the consultation on this subject. We hope that it will play its part in shaping the new legislation that will lead the way along the path to a fairer society in which discrimination plays no part.

Within our response we addressed the issue of genuine occupational requirements. That issue, and discussion, is still a live issue for us and we would be happy to be part of any ongoing discussions you may want to have in that area.

Yours sincerely

Catherine Crawford
Chief Executive and Clerk to the Authority

The Discrimination Law Review (DLR)

In looking at the DLR, the MPA would want to see the best practice level that it strives for becoming the standard for all employers. We agree with a general approach that would:

• Simplify, make transparent and equalise upwardly equalities legislation because it's too complex and needs to be at a gold standard (“dumbing-down” is not the answer).
• Safeguard current activities such as equal pay audits to stop discrimination occurring in the first place.
• Support individuals, a) to bring cases to Employment Tribunals, as it is costly financially and emotionally and can ruin future employment prospects and b) by increasing the scope of positive action to redress disadvantage and achieve representative workforces.
• We see that the consultation paper falls short of those aspirations in many areas and would like the Government to revise its proposals. We see this current review as a seminal point in the development of equalities and diversity legislation in the UK. It is an opportunity that should be grasped and tackled in the spirit of progress and not regression. It is important in ensuring that we maintain our lead in working for equality in the European Union. It is the opportunity for all of us involved in the review to set the standards expected of employers and service providers for many years to come. It is our opportunity to provide a living and progressive legacy.

We would expect to be included in a single Equality Act:

• a clear purpose clause
• mandatory equal pay audits
• a duty on public authorities to include equality in procurement
• private sector equality duties
• a non-discrimination right for carers
• ending exceptions to anti-discrimination law such as immigration and some areas of national security
• representative legal actions
• equality tribunals
• remedies that deter discrimination
• better access to justice
• strong positive action measures
• workforce equality monitoring
• more powerful positive equality duties
• in the public sector
• social model of disability.

We would expect a strengthening of included areas such as:

• age discrimination,
• extending the public sector positive duties to age in the areas of employment and goods, facilities and services,
• religion and sexual orientation,
• protection against harassment, particularly on grounds of religion.

Proposals for a Single Equality Bill for Great Britain - MPA response to consultation

• MPA DLR response [Word document]
  Completed form response of the MPA to the consultation questions posed 

The following is available as a Word document:

• MPA DLR response
  Completed form response of the MPA to the consultation questions posed

The following are available as PDF documents:

• MPA Equality and Diversity Policy

Portable Document Format (PDF) files require Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download from Adobe.

The following pages on the MPA Website are relevant:

• EODB
• Equal opportunities and diversity strategic objectives 2004-07
• Anti-discrimination legislation
• MPA and MPS Joint Equality Statement

The following external websites are relevant:

• Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas)
• Age Concern
• Commission for Racial Equality
• Commission for Equality and Human Rights
• Disability rights Commission
• DTI Employment Relations Directorate
• Equal Opportunities Commission
• Women & Equality Unit