10 September 2008
Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, today announced
the setting up of the new National Equality Panel.
The National Equality Panel will be independent and consist of
academic experts in inequality. It will be chaired by leading
academic Professor John Hills and will provide the Government with
an authoritative analysis of inequality in Britain by the end of
2009.
The panel will gather and examine data over the last 10 years as
well the very latest available information and will also commission
new research where necessary. The panel will:
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provide a factual analysis of how equality trends have changed
over the last ten years and map out exactly where gaps have
narrowed and widened in society.
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investigate how people’s life chances are affected by gender,
race, disability, age and other important aspects of inequality
such as where they were born, what kind of family they were born
into, where they live and their wealth; and
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show how these factors inter-relate and reinforce one
another.
The Panel will build upon work already undertaken by the
Government, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Office of
National Statistics and others. Once it starts work in
October, the Panel will also invite interested groups and
organisations to submit evidence for consideration.
Speaking at the TUC, Ms Harman said:
“Equality matters more than ever and it is necessary for
individuals, a peaceful society and a strong economy.
“We have made great progress on tackling inequality but we know
that inequality doesn’t just come from your gender, race, sexual
orientation or disability. What overarches all of these is where
you live, your family background, your wealth and social class.
“While we have helped millions of people over the last ten years
through policies like Sure Start, tax credits and the national
minimum wage, we want to do more.
“To advance equality through our public policy, we need clarity
of evidence and focus on the gaps in society and how they have
changed over the last ten years.
“The robust evidence base that the panel will produce will help
us properly target measures to address persisting equality gaps and
build on the good work that we have already done.”
Professor John Hills said:
“I am honoured to have been asked by Harriet Harman to take on
this work, and delighted that such a distinguished group has agreed
to join the panel. British society continues to be marked by
great differences in the positions of different groups.
However, the ways in which these are changing are complex. It
will be the job of this independent panel to map these out on the
basis of the most authoritative information we can compile, and to
identify areas where challenges to policy remain.”
Notes to editors
For queries about the National Equality Taskforce and the
Government Equality Office please contact Rhodri Jones on 0207 276
0996 / rhodri.jones@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
or Lauren Starr on Lauren.starr@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Contact: LSE press office: 020 7955 7060/7417
For queries about other aspects of Ms Harman's speech please
contact Ayesha Hazarika on 07900 134 158.
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Professor John Hills is Director of the Centre for Analysis of
Social Exclusion and Professor of Social Policy at the LSE He
recently served as a Commissioner on the Pensions Commission with
Adair Turner. In February 2007, he published an independent review,
commissioned by the government, on the future of social housing.
Prof Hills will report to Harriet Harman by the end of November
2009
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Harriet Harman first announced the setting up a panel on June 14
2008
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The panel will include leading academics and experts
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Mike Brewer, Institute for Fiscal Studies
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Prof. Stephen Jenkins, Institute for Social and Economic
Research, University of Essex
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Prof. Ruth Lister, Department of Social Sciences, University of
Loughborough
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Dr Ruth Lupton, Institute of Education and Centre for Analysis
of Social Exclusion, LSE
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Prof. Stephen Machin, University College London and Centre for
the Economics of Education, LSE
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Prof. Colin Mills, Department of Sociology, University of
Oxford
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Prof. Tariq Modood, Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and
Citizenship, University of Bristol
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Prof. Sheila Riddell, Centre for Research in Education Inclusion
and Diversity, University of Edinburgh
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The Government is committed to reduce disadvantage and promote
equality and opportunity for all. In the last year, it has
established the new Government Equalities Office, set up the
Equality and Human Rights Commission, agreed an ambitious Public
Service Agreement target on equality, and announced an Equality
Bill to be introduced in the next session of Parliament.