asked Her Majesty's Government:

What sources of public funding in Northern Ireland require an equality impact assessment prior to their distribution. [HL1715]

Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires public authorities carrying out functions in relation to Northern Ireland to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and regard to the desirability of promoting good relations.

Section 75 applies to those public authorities which are specified in the legislation as subject to these duties. All functions and policies of those public authorities require an assessment of their equality implications by way of screening and, where evidence exists of potential equality impact, public authorities must undertake a full equality impact assessment.

It is for individual public authorities to obtain relevant evidence and decide what consideration they give to assessments of existing and proposed funding policies, and what steps they should take to improve the impact of funding policies.