Dear Consultee
Re: Northern Ireland Assembly Commission Equality Scheme
The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (the Commission) has developed a draft Equality Scheme and wishes to consult with interested organisations or individuals on the content of the scheme.
A summary of the draft Equality Scheme is attached and details of the consultation process are outlined below. The full version of the scheme and all associated documentation are available on the Commission’s website:
www.niassembly.gov.uk/equalityscheme
The closing date for comments on this consultation is Friday 30 November 2007.
Please send your comments to:
Kevin Kerr
Northern Ireland Assembly Commission
Room 54
Parliament Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3XX
e-mail:equality@niassembly.gov.uk
Telephone:028 90418388
Textphone: 028 90521209
Fax:028 90418340
It is the intention of the Commission to adopt an inclusive and transparent approach to this consultation and it has therefore, decided to provide a number of options to facilitate your involvement in the process. The options proposed are:
- The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission invites written representations on the content of the Scheme;
- The Commission intend hosting a number of consultation events to discuss this document and to obtain further feedback from consultees. The Commission’s team will host a number of round table events bringing together similar representative organisations and/or individuals.
- In addition, the Commission will consider requests for individual meetings with sectoral/umbrella organisations.
If you wish to avail of any of these events please complete the reply slip which can be accessed and submitted through the website. A member of our team will then contact you to confirm the arrangements.
We realise there may be a number of people in your organisation who would be interested in this consultation so we would be grateful if you could ensure that they are made aware of this consultation.
The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission will publish a summary of responses following the completion of the consultation process. If you would prefer your response to be treated as confidential, please let us know, stating your reasons clearly. Any automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will be taken to apply only to information in your response for which confidentiality has been specifically requested.
If we are asked to disclose responses under freedom of information legislation, we will take any requests for confidentiality into account. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.
We will handle appropriately any personal data you provide in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 . For further information about confidentiality of responses, please contact the Information Commissioner's Office or see website at: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
The documents are available in hard copy and in alternative formats such as large print, Braille, audio or in other languages. These can be requested by contacting us at the address above.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
TONY LOGUE
Clerk to the Assembly Commission