Publications: The race equality duty Publications about the race equality duty and good practice in the public and private sector, including codes of practice, performance guidelines, ethnic monitoring guides and research publicationsWhat is a race equality scheme, and what should it include? Guidance for public authorities on preparing a race equality scheme as part of the specific duties to promote race equalityRace equality schemes FAQs Frequently asked questions about public authorities' obligation to produce a race equality scheme under the race equality dutyRace equality policies: schools This ...Race equality policies: further and higher education institutions This ...

CRE assessment template for race equality schemes (DOC 89.0 KB)
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Race equality policy assessment template: FE/HE institutions (DOC 61.5 KB)
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Race equality policy assessment template: schools (DOC 62.0 KB)
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This page was last updated on 03 August 2006

Specific duties

Race equality schemes and policies

As well as the general statutory duty to promote race equality, certain public authorities in England, Wales and Scotland are also bound by specific duties.

One of these specific duties requires these bodies to prepare and publish a race equality scheme (public authorities), or a race equality policy (schools and institutions of further and higher education). The purpose of this is to explain how they will meet both their general and specific duties under section 71(1) of the Race Relations Act.

Schools and further/higher education institutions

Educational institutions have different specific duties and are required instead to prepare and publish a race equality policy. You can find out more about race equality policies here:

Race equality schemes: what the duty requires

The specific duties are set out in articles 2(3) and 2(4) of the Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) Order 2001 which states:

2. (2) A Race Equality Scheme shall state, in particular
(a) those of its functions and policies, or proposed policies, which that person has assessed as relevant to its performance of the duty imposed by section 71(1) of the Race Relations Act; and
(b) that person's arrangements for
(i) assessing and consulting on the likely impact of its
proposed policies on the promotion of race equality;
(ii) monitoring its policies for any adverse impact on the promotion of race equality;
(iii) publishing the results of such assessments and
consultation as are mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) and
of such monitoring as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (ii);
(iv) ensuring public access to information and services which it provides; and
(v) training staff in connection with the duties imposed by section 71(1) of the Race Relations Act and this Order.
(3) Such a person shall, within a period of three years from 31st May 2002, and within each further period of three years, review the assessment referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

Guidance on how to meet each of these specific duties is provided elsewhere in this section of the website (see under Specific duties:race equality schemes on the right-hand side of this page.)

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