Home Secretary insists government will implement Equality Act

The coalition government is to press ahead with the first wave of implementation of the Equality Act, the BBC has reported.

Home Secretary Theresa May said the legislation would be implemented in October, and would help companies and organisations comply with anti-discrimination rules.

“By making the law easier to understand, the Equality Act will help businesses treat staff fairly and meet the needs of a diverse customer base,” May said, adding that “the law will be easier to understand and better able to protect people from discrimination.”

The Home Secretary, who had expressed concerns in opposition that parts of the Act would be too bureaucratic, said: “A successful economy needs the full participation of all its citizens and we are committed to implementing the Act in the best way for business.”

However, the BBC said the government would stop short of requiring employers to reveal how much they pay men compared to women, as the Labour administration had intended.

A spokesperson for the Government Equalities Office said: “We are thinking about what our next steps on equal pay should be and will make an announcement in due course.”