Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2024 to Question 2316 on Equality, whether the socio-economic duty will apply to local education authority decisions on (a) parents with children joining the state system from independent schools and (b) other school admissions.

The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to consider actively how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage. Public bodies specified by the duty include county and district councils, the Greater London Authority, and London Borough councils. We will support public bodies to ensure that they have clarity as to how to meet the duty in readiness for commencement.