The government published its White Paper on its new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) last week, but the proposed body will not have the power to litigate demanded by the Law Society (see [2004] Gazette, 11 March, 5).

The CEHR will replace existing commissions, but will have additional new powers and duties.

These will include powers to promote human rights, to undertake general inquiries, to promote good practice, and to enforce the law in the new areas of discrimination legislation covering sexual orientation, religion and age.

Stephen Grosz, a partner at Bindman & Partners, who drafted the Law Society response, said: 'It would have been sensible to give the CEHR a general power to litigate.'