§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to create an Equality Unit within the Northern Ireland Office to co-ordinate the work relating to equality schemes of United Kingdom departments and other bodies designated by the Secretary of State under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. [103814]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe Human Rights Unit in the Northern Ireland Office advises the Secretary of State on all issues relating to equality schemes for which the Secretary of State is responsible.
The Equality Commission is required by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to produce statutory guidelines on equality schemes (subject to approval by the Secretary of State) and these guidelines will be given to all public authorities designated under section 75. United Kingdom Government Departments and other bodies designated by the Secretary of State under section 75 will submit their equality schemes to the Commission for approval. The Secretary of State is responsible for approving public authority equality schemes which have been referred to him by the Equality Commission. The Commission cannot refer the equality schemes of United Kingdom Government Departments to the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision has been made within the Northern Ireland Office to ensure that it, and the voluntary and community sectors with which it works, have been provided with sufficient resources to ensure that they are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity. [103815]
§ Mr. George HowarthNo additional financial resources have been provided to ensure that the Northern Ireland Office and the voluntary and community sectors with whom it works are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity. However the Government believes that these public authorities have sufficient resources to ensure that they are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity.