HM Treasury has missed the deadline for responding to papers filed by a gender equality pressure group seeking a judicial review of the coalition’s first budget, it emerged last week.

The Fawcett Society is claiming that the Treasury failed to fulfil its gender equality duty when it announced the measures contained in the budget. This duty, introduced in 2007, applies to all public bodies and requires them not only to assess the impact of their current and proposed policies on gender equality, but also to address any discrimination revealed.

Research by the House of Commons library has suggested that the budget will impact disproportionately on women, as 72% of the savings to be made will come from women’s income.

The Fawcett Society filed papers on 2 August calling for a judicial review and inviting the Treasury to explain, within the standard three-week timeframe, what impact assessment it carried out in advance of the budget. The Treasury responded on 20 August, the last working day before the deadline, but only to request another month to prepare its answer.

A Fawcett Society spokeswoman said the Treasury had given ‘no robust reason’ for its delay in responding, but had blamed staff holidays. She added that if the Treasury had carried out an equality impact assessment, then the details would be readily to hand and there would be no cause for delay.

Samantha Mangwana, employment solicitor acting for the Fawcett Society at national firm Russell Jones & Walker, said: ‘The case law is crystal clear. An equality impact assessment must be conducted before policy decisions are taken and, if it reveals a risk of discrimination, urgent action must be taken.’

A Treasury spokesman said: ‘Departments will be considering the impact of the budget measures on gender, race and disability as they develop and implement the policies. This is in line with their legal obligations.’