Part 1Socio-economic inequalities

1Public sector duty regarding socio-economic inequalities

(1)

An authority to which this section applies must, when making decisions of a strategic nature about how to exercise its functions, have due regard to the desirability of exercising them in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage.

(2)

In deciding how to fulfil a duty to which it is subject under subsection (1), an authority must take into account any guidance issued by a Minister of the Crown.

(3)

The authorities to which this section applies are—

(a)

a Minister of the Crown;

(b)

a government department other than the Security Service, the Secret Intelligence Service or the Government Communications Head-quarters;

(c)

a county council or district council in England;

(d)

the Greater London Authority;

(e)

a London borough council;

(f)

the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a local authority;

(g)

the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

(h)

a Strategic Health Authority established under section 13 of the National Health Service Act 2006, or continued in existence by virtue of that section;

(i)

a Primary Care Trust established under section 18 of that Act, or continued in existence by virtue of that section;

(j)

a regional development agency established by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998;

(k)

a police authority established for an area in England.

(4)

This section also applies to an authority that—

(a)

is a partner authority in relation to a responsible local authority, and

(b)

does not fall within subsection (3),

but only in relation to its participation in the preparation or modification of a sustainable community strategy.

(5)

In subsection (4)—

“partner authority” has the meaning given by section 104 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007;

“responsible local authority” has the meaning given by section 103 of that Act;

“sustainable community strategy” means a strategy prepared under section 4 of the Local Government Act 2000.

(6)

The reference to inequalities in subsection (1) does not include any inequalities experienced by a person as a result of being a person subject to immigration control within the meaning given by section 115(9) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.