Whitehall complacent over race, says CRE

Whitehall departments are perilously close to being subjected to enforcement action for failure to deliver on their legal duties under the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000), according to the Commission for Racial Equality.

CRE - which can enforce compliance of the Act - found that 15 Whitehall departments are failing in their duty to put race equality at the heart of their service delivery. By law, central government departments are required to assess new policies and legislation for their impact on race equality.

Nick Johnson, director of policy and public sector, said: "Vital legal measures were introduced to address the problems of racial inequality and discrimination. Making sure that we tackle inequalities is a responsibility for everybody, including Whitehall departments and they must deliver on their promises.

Race equality should not be treated as an add-on, but mainstreamed into all policies. The consequences of ignoring it can be dramatic - whole communities faced with unmanaged discrimination. Who would believe that health, education and business policies, for example, would not have an impact on race?"