Race equality impact assessment

Report: 11
Date: 05 February 2004
By: Clerk

Summary

In order to meet the specific duty of the Race Relation (Amendment) Act 2000, MPA officers have been carrying out impact assessments on a number of policies. This report outlines the process that has been put into place, for impact assessment and brings to members’ attention developments underway to refine and improve the process.

A. Recommendations

Members are asked to

1. Comment on the draft impact assessments that have been completed.
2. Note and comment on the process outlined in paragraphs 8,9 for refining and improving the processes and guidance developed by the MPA and the MPS.
3. Agree the process outlined in paragraph 5 for signing-off the annual progress report to be submitted to the Commission for Racial Equality by 31 March 2004.

B. Supporting information

1. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a specific duty on public authorities such as the MPA and the MPS to undertake impact assessments of all policies, to ascertain whether the policy is likely to have an adverse impact on any racial or equality group.

2. Following the development of guidance and a series of short training sessions carried out by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) MPA officers have impact assessed a small range of policies. A timescale for the assessments of other MPA policies is being developed so that offices are able to plan to support colleagues in this process as well as put to ensure that the Authority is able to achieve its deadlines such as that set by the CRE for published annual updates by 31 March 2004.

3. The draft impact assessments are at Appendix 1, and are available from the MPA Secretariat (020 7202 0182). They are presented to members for comment and observations. Subject to these the assessments will be revised or signed off as completed and published on the MPA website in order to meet the requirement of the Act.

4. MPS Impact Assessments- A small sample of the impact assessments completed by the MPS and submitted to the Authority is also attached for members’ comments.

5. The sample of impact assessments have not been fully quality assured, it is proposed that for the future, only those impact assessments that have been fully quality assured and assessed as completed by officers will be presented to members of this Board. This will endure that members receive only those assessments that the policy lead and the clerk for the MPA, or Policy Clearing House in the case of the MPS, to consider to have been fully completed and, therefore, presented to members for the final sanction prior to publication. Members are asked to endorse this process.

6. Draft guidance has been developed to assist MPA staff with the completion of the assessments, and these are being continuously refined and updated as the need for clearer explanation arises. The MPS Policy Clearing House has also developed a comprehensive workbook to assist 300 policy developers who are primarily responsible for developing policies in the MPS.

7. The MPA and MPS continue to work closely to explore ways in which the respective processes can be improved. The External reference Group is also engaged in this process.

8. The MPS have planned a consultation event that will take place on 10th February to engage a wide range of stakeholders to comment on its process. The outcome from this event will inform a joint MPA and MPS event on Wednesday 24 March. Key stakeholders of both organisations will be invited to inform the processes which will result in the refinement of the guidance of both organisations.

9. MPA officers have engaged a consultant to critically assess both the MPA and MPS guidance documents and impact assessment process and to propose refinements that need to be brought. The emerging work has already identified some significant areas regarding improvements by the MPS. A similar finding may emerge following the independent detailed assessment of the MPA guidance and IA proforma.

10. This exercise is proving to be extremely helpful and the MPA, MPS and CRE, with support of the consultant, will be progressing this work and will bring a further report to the April meeting of this Board.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The Race and Equality Impact Assessment process is probably the most significant aspect of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 that is specifically aimed at eliminating organisational and institutional discrimination and racism and embedding good practice in its ways of working and delivering services. The proposed refinements to the process will enable the MPA to develop a high level of effectiveness in equalities, execute the governance of itself and of the Metropolitan Police Service.

D. Financial implications

The expenditure for the consultant will be contained within the existing equalities budget 2003/04.

E. Background papers

• MPA RES Guidance MPS Assessment Workbook & Guidance

F. Contact details

Report author: Julia Smith, MPA.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

Appendix 1 is available in hard copy only from the MPA.

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