s 1 Public sector duty regarding socio-economic inequalities
(1) An authority to which this section applies must, when making decisions of a strategic nature about how to exercise its functions, have due regard to the desirability of exercising them in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage. (2) In deciding how to fulfil a duty to which it is subject under subsection (1), an authority must take into account any guidance issued in accordance with subsection (2A) . (2A) The guidance to be taken into account under subsection (2) is— (a) in the case of a duty imposed on an authority in relation to devolved Scottish functions, guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers; (aa) in the case of a duty imposed on an authority in relation to devolved Welsh functions, guidance issued by the Welsh Ministers; (b) in any other case, guidance issued by a Minister of the Crown. (3) The authorities to which this section applies are— (a) a Minister of the Crown; (b) a government department other than the Security Service, the Secret Intelligence Service or the Government Communications Head-quarters; (ba) a corporate joint committee established by regulations made under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021; (c) a county council or district council in England; (d) the Greater London Authority; (e) a London borough council; (f) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a local authority; (g) the Council of the Isles of Scilly; (h) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (i) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (j) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (k) a police and crime commissioner established for an area in England. (3) The authorities to which this section applies are— (a) the Scottish Ministers; (b) Food Standards Scotland; (c) Keeper of the Registers of Scotland; (d) National Records of Scotland; (e) Revenue Scotland; (f) Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service; (g) a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994; (h) an integration joint board established under section 9(2) of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014; (i) a Health Board constituted under section 2(1)(a) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978; (j) a Special Health Board constituted under section 2(1)(b) of that Act; (k) Scottish Police Authority; (l) Highlands and Islands Enterprise; (m) Scottish Enterprise. (n) Scottish National Investment Bank p.l.c.; (o) South of Scotland Enterprise. (3A) This section also applies to the following authorities— (a) the Welsh Ministers; (b) a county council or county borough council in Wales; (c) a Local Health Board established under section 11 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006; (d) an NHS Trust established under section 18 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006; (e) a Special Health Authority established under section 22 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 other than a cross-border Special Health Authority (within the meaning of section 8A(5) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006); (f) a fire and rescue authority constituted by a scheme under section 2 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, or a scheme to which section 4 of that Act applies, for an area in Wales; (g) a National Park authority established by an order under section 63 of the Environment Act 1995 for an area in Wales; (h) the Welsh Revenue Authority or Awdurdod Cyllid Cymru. (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6) The reference to inequalities in subsection (1) does not include any inequalities experienced by a person as a result of being a person subject to immigration control within the meaning given by section 115(9) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.