To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work (a) in his Department and (b) for non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which his Department is responsible are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies. (101512)

All DFID contracts include as part of their general conditions the following clauses:

“12. Discrimination

12.1 The Consultant shall not unlawfully discriminate within the meaning and scope of the provisions of the Race Relations Act 1976, the Sex Discrimination Acts 1975 and 1986, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as revised, amended or supplemented from time to time) or as prohibited by the laws of the place of the performance of any of the Services.

12.2 The Consultant shall take all reasonable steps to secure that the Consultant's Personnel do not unlawfully discriminate as set out in Clause 12.1.”

Additionally, our Invitation to Tender instructions detail DFID values including our commitment to diversity, and state that we wish to work with suppliers who embrace these values and demonstrate Corporate Social Responsibility.

From 6 April 2007, private sector organisations, when carrying out functions of a public nature on behalf of public authorities, will be required to comply with the general gender equality duty which is to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and harassment and promote equality of opportunity between women and men. We will refer to the Equal Opportunity Commission’s (EOC) Code of Practice of the Gender Equality Duty and any further EOC guidance when available.