norman, along with the other stuff ive sent you this may also help with background info - you will be more clued up than the interviewers, ask them if they are resonding to the consultation, you dont need to know the detail, just the fact that it is out there should help!!
Advancing equality for men and women : government’s proposals for a gender duty
The Government is working to put an end to all forms of discrimination, whether based on age, disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. The Ministers for Women and the Women and Equality Unit have responsibility for Government policy on sex discrimination.
The Government is seeking views on its proposals to ensure that the public sector can better meet the needs of men and women.
On 4 October, it launched a consultation document on its proposals to introduce a public sector duty to promote gender equality – commonly referred to as the ‘gender duty’. These proposals will require public authorities to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity between men and women. The detailed proposals, drawn up in consultation with government departments, wider public sector and external stakeholders, centre around 3 main components obliging public authorities to:
identify and implement specific gender equality goals;
develop and publish an equal pay policy statement; and
assess the impact of new policies and changes to services on men and women – allowing negative effects to be mitigated.
To access the PDF version of the consultation document, please click
http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/legislation/index.htm Please email any comments to cehr@dti.gsi.gov.uk or write to the Gender Duty Team, Women and Equality Unit, 3rd Floor 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET by Thursday 12 January 2006 at the latest.
dave bev
