A coalition of thirteen umbrella bodies, including NCVO, NAVCA and Volunteering England, has sent a letter to the Home Secretary Theresa May asking for assurance that the Equality Act will not be repealed in whole or in part.

The Equality Act is currently the focus of the government’s Red Tape Challenge website. It questions whether the Equality Act ‘regulations’ should be scrapped, merged, simplified, improved or left as they are.

In a letter, written by Voice4Change England, and co-signed by thirteen charity umbrella bodies, the charities express concern that the government’s Red Tape Challenge to equality is not in line with its commitment to equality as set out in the coalition programme for government. It asks government to reaffirm this commitment and seeks clarification on the consultation process and timescales.

Vandna Gohil, director of Voice4Change England said: “The Equality Act is not regulation. It is an essential piece of primary legislation to support the rights and improve the outcomes of all individuals. It seems extraordinary that the government would even consider reviewing it.”

Equalities minister Lynne Featherstone has said this month that the Equality Act is "here to stay," but Kevin Curley, chief executive of NAVCA said a government consensus on the Act was not apparent:

“The government is sending mixed messages on its commitment to equality," he said. "On the one hand, the minister for equalities has said the Equality Act is here to stay whilst the Red Tape website asks ‘should it be scrapped?’ Communities need insurance that the government will support their right to protect themselves against discrimination and to challenge inequality.”

Signatories to the Voice4Change England letter to the Home Secretary are:

• Vandna Gohil, Director, Voice4Change England
• Kevin Curley, Chief Executive, NAVCA
• David Tyler, Chief Executive, Community Matters
• Toby Blume, Chief Executive, Urban Forum
• Alison Gelder, Director, Housing Justice
• Andy Gregg, Chief Executive, Charities Evaluation Services
• Stephen Hammersley, Chief Executive, Community Foundation Network
• Sandra Turner, Executive Director, Third Sector European Network
• Vivienne Hayes, Chief Executive, Women’s Resource Centre
• Susanne Rauprich, Chief Executive, The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services
• Phil Jew, Head of Policy & Campaigns, AdviceUK
• Dr Justin Davis Smith CBE, Chief Executive, Volunteering England
• Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive, NCVO
• Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise Coalition

Government launched the Red Tape Challenge on 7 April to ‘free up business and society from the burden of excessive regulation’. From 9 to 30 June the Equality Act is in the spotlight on the Red Tape Website.

To visit the Red Tape Challenge site click here.