Chamber and committees

Many public sector bodies in Scotland have been under a general obligation under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 to promote race equality since April 2001.An order extending the list of bodies in Schedule 1A of the 1976 Act, including devolved bodies, to be made subject to the general duty to promote race equality was laid in Westminster in October 2001 and came into force on 3 December 2001.However, the act recognised that there would be a need to make provision for more specific duties to ensure the better performance by public bodies of the general duty.The Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) (Scotland) Order 2002 was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 15 February 2002 and will come into force on 13 March 2002. Public bodies will require to comply with the duties by November 2002.The Commission for Racial Equality, Scotland will shortly be publishing for consultation a draft Statutory Code of Practice and associated guidance for devolved public bodies in Scotland. The code will provide practical guidance to bodies on how to fulfil both their general and specific duties and will be supported by examples of best practice.