To ask the Minister for Communities what process her Department uses to ensure that all policies and legislation proactively enables inclusion and equity, particularly for people with disabilities and black and ethnic minority persons.

Under section 75 my Department, as a public authority, is required to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between the nine equality categories including people with disabilities and black and ethnic minority persons.

In accordance with Departmental Equality Scheme commitments, equality of opportunity and good relations are central to policy development with the tools of equality screening and equality impact assessment assisting policy makers to take into account the needs and effects of a particular policy on people within the section 75 equality groups.