Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 13 February (HL1230, HL1231, HL1232), why the Equality Impact Assessment was not included in the consultation Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments.

All Government departments have a responsibility to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) under the Equality Act 2010.

As such, when formulating any policy changes, Ministers must have due regard to the need to: (1) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010, (2) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not, and (3) foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

This ongoing duty has been and will continue to be met. The consultation document has addressed these three limbs of the PSED which are referenced on pages 21 to 22 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/844954/Unauthorised_Encampments_-_consultation_paper.pdf).