Section 75 Northern Ireland Act 1998 Progress Report: 1 April 2003- 31 March 2004

In a letter dated 30 April2004, Danny Lambe, the Director of the Public Sector Statutory Duty Unit in the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, wrote to designated public authorities requesting that they prepare a progress report on their section 75 obligations to cover the period from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004.

Sir Joseph Pilling, the Permanent Under Secretary of State of the Northern Ireland Office, commissioned the External Assessor of the NIO's Equality Scheme, Brian Blackwell CBE, to prepare the report for approval by the Departmental Management Board and the Secretary of State.

Consequently, this report was prepared in consultation with the staff of the NIO and its Agencies and has been approved by the Board and the Secretary of State for submission to the Equality Commission.