Duties on public bodies to promote equality ‘effectively wishful thinking’

The Equalities Commission said that attempts by the Scottish government to create new duties promoting social and economic equality in legislation had had little measurable impact, The Times reports.

Public bodies including councils, police and the NHS must consider the impact of their actions on disadvantaged people.

Lesley Sawers, the Scotland commissioner, said: “They haven’t had the impact they were intended to. The lack of accountability is a critical factor.

“Local authorities also told us that they thought the duties placed on them weren’t particularly helpful. All local authorities in Scotland have socioeconomic objectives and these new duties didn’t really dovetail with their existing approaches. This combined with a lack of guidance or assistance from government meant that the duties were effectively wishful thinking.”

Dr Sawers added that she hoped the wider policy, rebranded as the Fairer Scotland Duty by the Scottish government, which is in force across the public sector, would be successful.