Fawcett refused judicial review of Budget

UPDATED to add Fawcett’s response.

womenagainstcuts.gifThe Fawcett Society has been refused a judicial review of the emergency budget.

Fawcett was arguing that the Treasury did not carry out a gender audit of the budget, which it is legally required to do.

However, reports the Guardian:

Mr Justice Ouseley ruled the application “unarguable – or academic” and dismissed it.

See also: Women Against the Cuts.

Fawcett CEO Ceri Goddard has issued a statement saying:

“Today’s hearing saw the government admit they had not carried out an assessment of how the budget will impact on women and men, something they’ve described as ‘regrettable.’

“Although hundreds of thousands of women’s incomes will be affected by the public sector pay freeze, and the poorest pensioners and lone mothers will lose out through the changes to benefits and pensions, the government conceded it had not considered the impact on women and men when drawing up its plans. Of the £8 billion worth of changes to tax and welfare, 72 per cent will come from women’s pockets, in comparison to 28 per cent from men’s.

“Mr Justice Ouseley judged that policies set to have such a dramatically different impact on women and men merit further scrutiny. The judge said the Equality and Human Rights Commission was best placed to conduct this kind of analysis.

“While we are disappointed not to have been granted a judicial review of the budget, we are pleased the government has today heard that budgetary decisions are not above equality law – and that a court of law agreed with us that the government’s economic processes need to be looked at again.

“Outside of the courts, our action has already made an impact. When drawing up the Comprehensive Spending Review, the government produced the first ever equalities statement to accompany such a big piece of financial policy. Though we feel it’s inadequate, it’s a start.

“There is increased recognition and understanding of the role of equality law generally, and growing demand that women are not forced to bear the brunt of cuts. The issue of women’s rights has inched that little bit closer to its rightful place at the heart of policy making.

“This case was one part of a much wider Fawcett Society campaign for women’s economic independence, which is key to fighting for women’s equality.

“We hope our case has ensured that neither the government nor any other public body will in future think it appropriate to bypass equality law.”

Photo by lynnepet, shared on Flickr under a Creative Commons license