Information relating to equality impact assessments

Request

  1. Please provide me with any information regarding the equality impact assessments completed by your office regarding MPs staff allowances.

  2. Please provide me with any information the way in which IPSA chooses to grant contingency funding to MPs in relation to the differing numbers of people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 in their constituencies.

  3. The protected characteristics that must be taken into account by public bodies include race, religion, disability and age- all things that have an impact on the workload of Parliamentary offices. Please provide me with information about how you have taken these factors into account.


Response

IPSA holds some of the information that you request.

Questions 1 and 3

Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) have been completed for each Review of the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses. They are available via the consultation section of our website. Each EIA includes an assessment on any impact that the Scheme may have on MPs and their staff with protected characteristics.

Question 2

No MP has requested contingency funding on the basis of the numbers of people within their constituency with protected characteristics. It has not, therefore, played a part in any decision on whether to grant any request for contingency funding. Were an MP to make an argument on this basis, IPSA would make its decision on funding in a manner consistent with its Equality Act duties.

Ref:
F1314-007
Disclosure:
24 April 2013
Categories:
IPSA - POLICY
Exemptions Applied:
None