Lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender issues

Report: 06b
Date: 10 March 2005
By: Clerk

Summary

This report provides an update on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues in the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA).

A. Recommendations

1. Members note the work that is being undertaken to support both LGBT staff within the MPA and London’s LGBT community.
2. Members agree that the MPA should apply to become a Stonewall Diversity Champion

B. Supporting information

Equality and Diversity Policy

1. At its meeting on 25 November 2004, the Full Authority approved the new Equality and Diversity Policy for the MPA. This policy places an obligation on the MPA to be exemplary. The Authority will not seek merely to follow the law but to exceed it. It will operate to a “Gold Standard”, applying the highest standard of the law to all the equality strands (race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief and age). This is best illustrated in the application of the principles of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act to eliminate discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations in relation to all equality strands. This will benefit both LGBT staff and members of London’s LGBT community.

Gay Police Association

2. All MPA staff have access to the Gay Police Association (GPA) and some MPA staff are members. The GPA exists to:

• Work towards equal opportunities for lesbian and gay police service employees;
• Offer advice and support to lesbian and gay police service employees;
• Promote better relations between the police service and the lesbian and gay community.

3. The GPA was formed in 1990. Over 15 years it has grown into a formally recognised and respected staff association with members in all 52 UK police forces. The GPA is the only national organisation that specifically represents the needs and interests of gay officers police staff in the United Kingdom.

4. In addition to its work to support gay staff (which includes a monthly networking meeting in London), the GPA also works to educate the police service and central government on all issues connected with sexual orientation and policing. This includes policy development, the investigation of homophobic hate crime, victim care, family and community liaison.

Civil Service Rainbow Alliance (CSRA)

5. The CSRA is an informal alliance of departmental LGBT networks and groups in the UK Civil Service. It links group and network co-ordinators with departments and individuals. Its postbox and web site enable individuals to find the networks and contact them. It can provide help and advice for those setting up departmental networks, and revising policies. Members of other public services in the UK are welcome at its socials and meetings. It has links with Police Forces and the Health Service.

6. Through the Race and Diversity Unit and other staff members, a link between the MPA and CSRA was formed. This not only links the MPA with CSRA but also with the various departmental LGBT networks in Whitehall. This is a source of support, activities, information and good practice for the MPA and its staff to access. To date, staff of the MPA have been involved with activities sponsored by the networks of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the Cabinet Office and Her Majesty’s Treasury. There will also be representation from the MPA at the AGM of the network of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Stonewall

7. Stonewall, a registered charity, was founded in 1989 by women and men who had been active in the campaign for the repeal of Section 28 of the Local Government Act. Their aim was to create a professional lobbying group that would prevent such attacks on lesbians, gay men and bisexuals ever occurring again and to put the case for equality on the mainstream political agenda by winning support within all the political parties.

8. Its lobbying work remains important today but its activities have expanded considerably. It promotes new research (for example on discrimination in the work place, homophobic violence & sex education) and have taken test legal cases that graphically challenge inequality (e.g. on the age of consent and lesbians and gays in the armed forces). More recently its work has also involved partnerships with organisations outside Parliament to ensure that the rights and needs of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are addressed in the wider community. It has, for example, advised public bodies such as the police and local councils on good practice. Its Diversity Champions scheme now engages employers of almost two million people. These include IBM, Barclays, Sainsbury’s and HM Customs and Excise.

9. Diversity Champions is Britain's best practice forum for sexual orientation where employers can work with Stonewall to promote diversity in the workplace. Diversity Champions members enjoy 10 key benefits:

• Networking opportunities with senior staff in public and private sector organisations, plus Government and policy makers
• Good practice seminars and events delivering key information on topical issues, plus discounted registration for Stonewall conferences
• Dedicated Programme Manager
• Access to the latest thinking and knowledge
• Advice on specific organisational initiatives
• Influence over policy development in the public and private sectors
• Regular e-bulletins from Stonewall's chief executive
• Opportunity to host seminars and have top employers come to you
• Research opportunities
• Sponsorship opportunities

The cost of membership of Diversity Champions is £1500 per annum and would assist the MPA to disseminate its good practice while taking advantage of the good practice of others. The Board is therefore asked to agree that the MPA should apply to become a Diversity Champion.

10. Three officers of the MPA and one member, the Chair of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board, attended, on 1 March 2005, a Stonewall conference on Speakers at the conference included the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the General Secretary of the TUC and DAC Brian Paddick from the MPS “Ending Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the UK Workplace”

LGBT Independent Advisory Group (IAG)

11. The EODB, on 15 December 2004, met with representatives of a number of the Metropolitan Police Service IAGs, including the LGBT IAG. The IAG members were each given the opportunity to speak about their IAG and the issues that they were facing. It was agreed that it would be useful for the MPA to hold further meetings with the IAGs. Points raised at the meetings will help to inform the work programme of the Board.

LGBT Event Sponsorship

12. In the current financial year, the MPA expended £5000 to sponsor the annual Pride London Rally in Trafalgar Square. This enabled the MPA to show its support of London’s LGBT community and to give the community information about the MPA and policing. It is anticipated that this sponsorship will be extended to the 2005 event on Saturday 2 July. The free Pride London event now has full charity status, and is classified as an official London attraction. This will allow, for the first time, legal motorised floats on the Parade through central London. Trafalgar Square has again been given by the Mayor of London for the Pride Rally.

13. In the next financial year the MPA will provide sponsorship for Celebrate, which is a European conference hosted by the Gay Police Association (GPA) on behalf of the British Police Service on 30 June – 1 July 2005. This conference, which is being held in London, will examine what progress has been made, what good practice we can share with European colleagues and future challenges for gay equality in the service. Key note speeches, workshops and drama presentations will tackle a range of subjects from the recruitment, retention and development of gay police officers and staff, through to external community safety and partnership issues. Through its sponsorship the MPA will provide a speaker and be given a lead role during workshop discussion. The MPA is currently the only police authority in the country to independently sponsor this conference giving us an opportunity to take our place in an international debate on equality within policing.

C. Race and equality impact

It is essential that the MPA works to ensure equality and freedom from discrimination for all and policing that respects and assists all of London’s diverse communities. In the adoption of the Equality and Diversity Policy and in participating in the activities and sponsorship noted in this paper, the MPA can ensure that it carries out this task. This will lead to a more contented staff and an LGBT community in London that has trust and confidence in the MPA and in the policing that it receives.

D. Financial implications

All costs are met within existing MPA budgets.

E. Background papers

• Sexual Orientation Project Plan [2004 ongoing]

F. Contact details

Report author: Doug Lewins, Race & Diversity Unit.

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback