This paper provides brief information in response to some key questions regarding the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on separated families, maintenance arrangements and access to children.
Documents to download
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The Public Sector Equality Duty and Equality Impact Assessments (335 KB, PDF)
This briefing outlines the Public Sector Equality Duty contained in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, which requires public authorities to have due regard to several equality considerations when exercising their functions.
Section 149 replaced pre-existing duties concerning race, disability and sex. It extended coverage to the additional “protected characteristics” of age, gender reassignment, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation and, in certain circumstances, marriage and civil partnership.
This briefing also provides an overview of Equality Impact Assessments. These are assessments that public authorities often carry out prior to implementing policies, with a view to predicting their impact on equality. The Equality Act 2010 does not specifically require them to be carried out, although they are a way of facilitating and evidencing compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Documents to download
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The Public Sector Equality Duty and Equality Impact Assessments (335 KB, PDF)
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This Commons Library briefing paper deals with proposed changes to marriage registration in England and Wales – moving from a paper-based system to registration in an electronic register. This will facilitate the amendment of the form and content of the marriage register entry to include, for example, details of both parents of each of the parties to a marriage (and not just fathers' details, as at present)
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The Public Bill Committee for the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill concluded on 22 October 2020. Despite a significant number of tabled amendments to Parts 1 and 2 of the Bill, no changes were made. The Bill is not without controversy and MPs are expected to return to some of its more contentious provisions when it comes back to the Floor of the House. Report Stage is scheduled for 3 November 2020.
