Public Sector Equality Duties

The Equality Act 2010 Public Sector Equality Duty requires public authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and other prohibited conduct;

Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not; and

Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

The Public Sector Equality Duty covers the following protected characteristics: age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation. The Public Sector Equality Duty also covers marriage and civil partnerships, with regard to eliminating unlawful discrimination in employment. These functions include those concerned with service provision and with employment.

Scottish Specific Duties

The specific duties in Scotland were created by secondary legislation in the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012.

Statutory specific equality duties for Scotland came into force on 27th May 2012. The eight components are:

Publish equality outcomes by the 30th April 2013 and report progress every two years
Report on mainstreaming the equality duty by the 30th April 2013, and thereafter every two years
Assess and review policies and practices, on-going
Gather and use employee information, and publish in the mainstreaming report
Publish gender pay gap information by the 30th April 2013 and report progress every two years
Publish statements on equal pay by the 30th April 2013, and at four year intervals
Consider award criteria and conditions in relation to public procurement, and
Publish in a manner that is accessible.

In April 2013 SPS agreed the Public Sector Equality Duty reports below:

SPS Equality Outcomes 2013;

SPS Equality Mainstreaming Report April 2013;

Gender Pay Gap, Occupational Segregation, Equal Pay Policy 2013;

Staff Equality Information Report April 2013; and

SG Statistical Bulletin Prison Statistics 2011 to 2012.

Copies in alternative formats and community languages will be made available on request.

In April 2015 SPS agreed the Public Sector Equality Duty reports below:

SPS Employment Equality Information Report January 2015 - word version
SPS Employment Equality Information Report January 2015 - PDF version

SPS Employment Equality Information Report March 2014 - word version
SPS Employment Equality Information Report March 2014 - PDF version

SPS Equality Mainstreaming Report Progress April 2015 - word version
SPS Equality Mainstreaming Report Progress April 2015 - PDF version

SPS Equality Outcomes Progress Report April 2015 - word version
SPS Equality Outcomes Progress Report April 2015 - PDF version