§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he has established a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on equal treatment; and what progress has been achieved. [46495]
§ Dr. Whitehead[holding answer 26 March 2002]:The Department has developed a framework for the integrated appraisal of policy proposals. In addition to guiding policy makers through the economic, social and environmental considerations needing to be taken into account when assessing policy options, this framework ensures that distributional impacts, including by age, gender, disability, race, deprivation and income group, are addressed.
We have also recently established a new Equality and Diversity Unit, whose remit it is to support the Department in achieving diversity in policies, programmes and service delivery, and also in our own employment practices. The unit is presently engaged in an assessment of the Department's compliance with the terms of the Race Relations (Compliance) Act 2000.
§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the women's organisations which have been consulted over proposed legislation by his Department during(a)2000–01 and (b)2001–02 sessions; and if their responses have been published. [46493]
§ Dr. Whitehead[holding answer 26 March 2002]:A central consultation list detailing women's organisations is located on the DTLR(C) Equality and Diversity Unit website for use by DTLR Units in consulting over proposed policy and legislation. This central list is updated periodically, in consultation with the Cabinet Office Women and Equality Unit.
Outcomes from individual Unit consultations may be made available on their Unit websites. Records and outcomes of consultations in general are not held centrally and the cost of researching and listing them would be disproportionate. None have been published in the time period in question.