Scottish Government

3. PROMOTING EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY- ACTION TO DATE

Committed to Equality and Diversity

3.1 The Scottish Executive is committed to promoting equal opportunities under the broad terms set out in the Scotland Act 1998. The Act defines equal opportunities as:

"the prevention, elimination or regulation of discrimination between persons on grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds, or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes, including beliefs or opinions, such as religious beliefs or political opinions"

3.2 As part of the devolution settlement, the Scotland Act 1998 reserves the power to legislate on equal opportunities to the Westminster Parliament. However, the Act also makes an important exception to this by giving the Scottish Parliament the power to encourage equal opportunities and to place duties on Scottish and cross-border public authorities to observe the equal opportunities requirements in their work in devolved areas.

3.3 Most of the key issues affecting the daily lives of people in Scotland such as health, education, justice, transport, local government, economic development, are devolved, and we have made significant progress since 1999 in promoting equality through the exercise of these key responsibilities.

3.4 The following summarises some of the main elements of our work on promoting equality.

Equality Strategy

Mainstreaming Equality

3.5 The Scottish Executive's Equality Strategy ( Working Together for Equalityhttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/social/wtem-04.asp) was published in November 2000. It provided a framework for building work on race, gender and disability equality and for developing work in areas of sexual orientation, religion and age.

3.6 The Strategy promotes a vision of an open, just and inclusive Scotland where respect and understanding are fostered and where everyone is encouraged and enabled to live, work and take part in society to their full potential, free from prejudice and discrimination.

3.7 In seeking to secure this vision the Executive outlined seven aims:

• Integrate an equality perspective into the Executive's work and activity - in policy and programme development, legislation and spending plans, service design and delivery
• Develop policies and programmes that seek to address the inequalities and exclusion arising from discrimination
• Extend the ownership of and commitment to the strategy to all key public, private and voluntary sector bodies
• Promote the inclusion of under-represented groups in policymaking, decision-making and public appointments
• Foster greater understanding of and respect for Scotland's different communities
• Educate and raise awareness about discrimination and the need for it to be challenged
• Build and promote the Executive as an organisation that is effective, open and accessible, which broadly reflects the communities it serves and is committed to equality of opportunity

3.8 The Strategy focuses on three strategic objectives:

• making better policy and providing better services
• promoting equal opportunities and tackling discrimination
• being a good employer

3.9 The Executive is working towards mainstreaming equality into policymaking, legislation, programmes, spending plans and service delivery. Whilst we acknowledge that there is still much to be done, we have achieved a considerable amount since the adoption of the Equality Strategy. For example-

• The Health Department has developed an Equality & Diversity Impact Assessment Toolkit to support the mainstreaming of equality across the policy and practice of the Department. They have also undertaken significant work under the Fair for All programme across all equality groups.
• A mainstreaming equality team have been set up to develop systems and structures to help Executive staff to implement change.
• The Executive is working with the Disability Rights Commission and disability organisations to prepare for the new duty to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. A strategic disability working group has been considering the implications of the duty, particularly impact assessment and mainstreaming tools.
• Consultation through the Older People's Consultative Forum gives Scottish Ministers and officials the opportunity for continuing dialogue with older people's representatives in fields as diverse as health, transport and social justice.
• We have undertaken a broad range of equalities research including research to look at local authority policies and practice in relation to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people with a view to promoting good practice.
• On legislation a number of Acts place duties on public bodies to encourage equal opportunities, including-

-The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, which is intended to enable the delivery of public services which better meet the expectations of those who pay for and use them, places a duty on Scottish Ministers, local authorities and others
( i.e. those subject to the duty to participate in Community Planning) to carry out their functions in a way which encourages equal opportunities and observes equal opportunity requirements.

3.10 Our commitment to mainstreaming equality underpins our commitment to securing race equality.

Race Equality Advisory Forum ( REAF)

3.11 The establishment of REAF was announced in July 1999 by Jackie Baillie, the then Deputy Minister for Communities. Its remit was to:

• advise the Executive on a strategy to address broad racial equality issues;
• prepare action plans to eradicate institutional racism; and
• advise on the best way to consult people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

3.12REAF reported (and disbanded) in October 2001 and the Executive responded in March 2002. However, the Executive gave a commitment to report back on the implementation of REAF's recommendations across the Executive. The report ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/equality/reaf-00.asp) was published on 30 June 2004.

The One Scotland (Many Cultures) Campaign

3.13 Creating the climate for change and shifting attitudes is a critical part of our work to combat racism and promote race equality. Our 'One Scotland. Many Cultures' Campaign ( www.infoscotland.com/noplace ) was launched in September 2002. It sets aspirations about the sort of Scotland we want to live in and raises public awareness of racist attitudes and behaviour, and the negative impact these have on individuals and society in general. It also celebrates the positive aspects of Scotland's increasingly culturally diverse society. This ongoing campaign remains an integral part of our work on promoting respect for the different cultures in Scotland, and the elimination of racism and discrimination.

Race Equality Review

3.14 The context for race equality has significantly altered over the years- issues such as asylum dispersal, the new statutory duty on the public sector, the increase in migrant workers brought about by the expansion of the EU, policy initiatives like Fresh Talent, and the impact of global events such as 9/11- have all served to alter the landscape in which we operate and have impacted considerably on all communities across Scotland. In addition, changes to community planning have altered the delivery infrastructure.

3.15 At the instigation of the then Minister for Communities, the Executive conducted a comprehensive review of race equality work between June 2004 and February 2005. The primary purpose of the review was to determine the best approach required to deliver tangible improvements in the lives of Scotland's diverse communities whilst ensuring Executive resources were maximised and directed to best effect.

3.16 We recognised that it was important to use a variety of consultation methods to enable a wide range of participants with expertise and interest in race equality to become involved in the review. Evidence was gathered through written consultation, stakeholder meetings, regional seminars, round-table meetings, mapping studies of minority ethnic voluntary organisations and of public bodies. Separate reports, notes and minutes were prepared for each of these strands of the review- please refer to the One Scotland website ( http://www.onescotland.com/onescotland/osmc_display_leveldown.jsp;jsessionid=5A79F955E123B354CA076A721EC9F738?pContentID=163&p_applic=CCC&pElementID=101&pMenuID=10&p_service=Content.show&) to access these and for further information.

3.17 An external Advisory Group was convened to consider the evidence gathered from the review and discuss the evidence relating to each of the key themes. The group also provided comments on the draft final report.

3.18 Following the review, a summary of recommendations ( http://www.onescotland.com/onescotland/files/RER%20Summary%20101105.pdf) was published on the Executive's website on 10 November 2005, and detailed action plans will follow in spring 2006.

Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market

3.19 The above Cabinet Office-Strategy Unit Report was published in March 2003. However, while the report described the UK position, it did not identify the Scottish situation. The differences between the UK and Scottish context must be taken into account if the report's conclusions are to be effectively implemented in Scotland.

3.20 As a first step, the Scottish Executive/Scottish Enterprise/Commission for Racial Equality held an event in January 2004 which brought together policy makers and key stakeholders to discuss the Scottish repercussions of the report.

3.21 As one of the outcomes of the review of race equality referred to earlier, in June 2005, the Minister for Communities announced the establishment of a short life national strategic group involving the Commission for Racial Equality, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and employers groups, to address the current inequalities that exist for minority ethnic communities in the labour market in Scotland. In reaching its decisions, the group will be supported by, and provide a focus for the work of, three thematic satellite groups.

3.22 The main task of the strategic group will be to produce an action plan identifying what work needs to be taken forward to achieve the following long-term outcomes:

• Reduction of the minority ethnic employment gap.
• Elimination of the 'ethnic penalty'.
• Reduction in occupational segregation.
• Increased access to finance and business support services for minority ethnic entrepreneurs.
• Economic integration of new migrants.
• Working towards better inclusion of minority ethnic employees at every level of the workforce.

3.23 An important consideration for the group will be to ensure that work undertaken in Scotland complements work being carried out by the UK government.

Minority Ethnic Enterprise

3.24 Research was commissioned by the Equality Unit in 2004 to identify common issues experienced by minority ethnic business people and to explore specific pathways of opportunity/disadvantage faced. This was the first systematic study on the distinctive nature and importance of minority ethnic businesses in Scotland.

3.25 The report was launched in June 2005 and highlights the strong talent, diverse expertise and experience of minority ethnic businesses, and their contribution to the wider Scottish business sector.

3.26 A number of regional seminars were held throughout November 2005 to disseminate the research findings.

Ethnic Identity

3.27 The Scottish Executive and other organisations need to ask people about their ethnic identity so that they can monitor whether people from different ethnic backgrounds have the same opportunities and are treated in an equal way. Collecting this information helps us to take action to remove any unfairness or disadvantage. Our duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 make it important that we can effectively monitor policies, how we deliver services and how we employ people.

3.28 Some community groups raised concerns about the ethnic categories used in the 2001 Census. For example, several groups were unhappy that Africans were placed under the 'black' category, while Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Chinese people were placed under the 'Asian' category.

3.29 We have therefore been working with a wide range of stakeholders, communities, service providers and statisticians to:

• better understand the issues around ethnic identity categories;
• look at the ways people might want to describe their own ethnic identity; and
• continue to monitor effectively.

3.30 In 2004/2005 we commissioned research on ethnic identity and the Census which explored issues around the current Census ethnic categories. In April 2005 we held an ethnicity seminar to discuss the outcomes of the research and how best to engage with minority ethnic communities on this issue. The research fed into proposals outlined in the Scottish Executive Review of Census Ethnicity Classifications Consultation and both documents were published on the Executive's website on 23 June 2005.

3.31 The consultation was circulated to around 500 stakeholder organisations including; research participants, academics, community groups and local & central government and ran until 15 September 2005. Responses to the consultation were analysed by an independent research company and a final analysis report is available on the Scottish Executive website. Following consideration and approval by Ministers, the Office for the Chief Statistician will make a recommendation to the General Register Office for Scotland ( GROS) in November 2005 on the ethnic identity classification to be used in the Census Test to be undertaken in spring 2006.

Scottish Refugee Integration Forum ( SRIF)

3.32 The Partnership Agreement includes a commitment for the Scottish Executive to encourage the integration of refugees into local communities. This contributes further to Scotland's strong tradition of welcoming and integrating asylum seekers and refugees fleeing from oppression and persecution.

3.33 The SRIF Action plan was published in 2003 and since then progress has been monitored and two progress reports have been produced. The most recent report was published in April 2005 following a reconvening of the SRIF Forum. The SRIF Forum, chaired by the Minister for Communities, will meet again from now to April 2006 as one of the outcomes of the race equality review referred to earlier.

3.34 A funding stream to support the key actions identified in SRIF is now in its third year and is expected to continue until 2006-07.

Fresh Talent

3.35 The First Minister has set a challenge to attract fresh talent to Scotland. The initiative is driven by the demographic projections for Scotland (the only country within the UK whose population is projected to decline) and concern that an ageing population will affect the economic future of Scotland, together with a recognition of the benefits of a more skilled and diverse workforce.

3.36 The aims of this initiative are:

• To address the projected falling population and increasing age demographic in Scotland by encouraging and enabling people to relocate to Scotland, allowing ongoing stays by students, and other measures;
• To bolster the dynamism and cosmopolitanism of Scottish life and the economy;
• To promote Scotland as an ideal place to live, study, work and do business.

3.37 We need bright, talented, hard working people who can make a positive contribution to the Scottish economy. We also want to benefit from diversity - new ideas, new blood, new ways of thinking.

3.38 The Executive has already made substantial progress and implemented a range of measure to support the Fresh Talent Initiative including-

Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme

3.39 The Scottish Executive and Home Office have established the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme. The Scheme was launched on 22 June 2005, and enables successful international students to stay and work in Scotland for two years after the end of their course without the need for a work permit.

Relocation Advisory Service

3.40 The Relocation Advisory Service, which went live in October 2004 is a 'one stop shop' providing advice on visas, work permits, studying and working, accommodation, health, leisure activities, cultural support etc. Individuals thinking of locating to Scotland will be able to approach the service with a range of questions and get a single, comprehensive answer.

Scottish International Scholarship Programme

3.41 The Scottish Executive is funding
22 scholarships for students from China (9), India (6), South Africa (2), Australia (2), New Zealand (1) and Singapore (2) who want to study for a Masters in Scotland.

Supporting International Students Challenge Fund

3.42 The Fresh Talent: Supporting International Students Challenge Fund, launched in April 2005, will support activities aimed at helping international students settle into life in Scotland and learn about opportunities available to them at the end of their studies. We want to ensure that all international students enjoy their time in Scotland, and feel welcome and supported during their studies.

Gypsies/Travellers

3.43 Although for the purposes of GB race legislation not all Gypsy/Traveller communities (such as Scottish Travellers and Scottish Gypsies) are recognised as racial or ethnic groups, the Scottish Executive treats them as such, and acknowledges that all Gypsy/Traveller communities have specific requirements and require the same level of protection from discrimination and abuse in common with all of Scotland's minority ethnic communities.

3.44 In June 2004, the Executive published 'Delivering for Scotland's Gypsies/Travellers. The report updated the Executive's original response to the Scottish Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee's 2001 Inquiry into Public Service Provision for Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland which made wide ranging recommendations. The Deputy Minister for Communities subsequently gave evidence to the Committee's 2005 follow up Inquiry.

3.45 The Executive has formed a short life Strategic Group which will meet throughout late 2005/early 2006 to assess key issues affecting Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland and identify strategies for dealing with them. The Group will include Gypsies/Travellers and key agencies such as the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Commission for Racial Equality, Scottish Traveller Education Programme, and the Travellers Site Managers Association. The Group will produce an action plan which will form part of the Executive's strategy on race equality and community cohesion for Scotland.

Key achievements since 2002 include:

• Publication in 2003 of national guidance on inclusive educational approaches for Gypsies/Travellers. The guidance is currently being reviewed.
• Launch of hand held health records for Gypsies/Travellers in October 2005
• £3 million of additional resources for Gypsy/Traveller sites for 2005-06 to 2007-08
• Inclusion of Gypsies/Travellers in the latest phase of 'One Scotland' radio advertising and other media platforms which will relate to real-life experiences/stories.

Project and Other Support

3.46 In support of our One Scotland Campaign, the Executive has supported the following awareness raising projects, and organisations.

One Workplace. Equal Rights

3.47 The STUC's "One Workplace. Equal Rights" campaign ( www.oneworkplace.co.uk) was launched in March 2004. It aims to tackle racism and promote equal opportunities in workplaces across Scotland as well as build the capacity of trade unions to bargain for, and promote, equality in the workplace. The project offers information and support to employers, employees and trade unions through-

• a free phone advice line
• website
• awareness seminars
• dissemination of promotional materials
• training
• action research

3.48 The Executive has committed £227, 000 in funding for the project to date. The project also comes under the umbrella of the EU Equal SWELL Development Partnership.

Young Scot

3.49 Executive is working with Young Scot ( www.youngscot.org.uk) to raise awareness of the negative effects of racism with young people, and to promote our diverse society. As a first step, Young Scot developed a One Scotland Many Cultures information channel on its main website and this was launched in September 04. Further promotional work around One Scotland Many Cultures includes a national photography project, and promotion via partner networks such as Dialogue Youth, YouthLink Scotland, and the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Kiddiesville FC

3.50 The Kiddiesville FC website www.kiddiesvillefc.com is an interactive website, which is targeted at three-eight year olds. It centres around a football team of children from a wide variety of backgrounds and aims to promote diversity and fair play, among other things. The site was launched in November 2004. We are currently reviewing site content with education interests to see if we can make it even better.

Show Racism The Red Card ( SRt RC)- Scotland

3.51SRt RC is a GB-wide anti-racist charity. It produces a range of anti-racist educational resources, which harness the high profile of professional footballers to combat racism. The Executive has supported SRt RC with 135K funding to date to develop the charity's work in Scotland. A development worker was appointed in November 03. Through resources, events, competitions and partnership working he is helping to take the anti-racist message out to Scottish schools and football clubs. For further information visit www.theredcardscotland.org

Heartstone

3.52 Heartstone is a UK wide (Scottish based) voluntary organisation which aims to challenge racism, xenophobia and intolerance, and build understanding between people of different nationalities, cultures and backgrounds. It uses story- in particular photojournalism- to present the issues to children and young people. As well as exhibitions and events, the organisation runs education projects to reach schools, colleges, youth groups and other settings which reach children and young people.

3.53 The stories are used to raise discussion and debate and provide the basis for practical project work which leads to changing attitudes and behaviour.

3.54 The Executive has provided 213K to Heartstone to date to, among other things, run an exhibitions programme in 12 local authorities across Scotland over 2 years, with linked education projects involving many schools, culminating in a high profile national finale exhibition.

Equal Futures

3.55 This project was funded by the Scottish Executive with support from the Commission for Racial Equality. It was established to run three national conferences over the period 2001 - 03, and to assist in establishing a number of local initiatives throughout Scotland. The project was co-ordinated by Children in Scotland. The primary aims were to:

• Raise awareness among young children and young people of their rights and responsibilities within the scope of race relations legislation;
• Explore issues of identity, ethnicity, and culture for all Scotland's children and young people;
• Identify key issues in promoting equality.

3.56 We are currently considering how this work might be continued over the next period.

Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance, and Frae Fife

3.57 Two of the former Social Inclusion Partnerships, which are funded by the Executive (and now integrated within the Community Planning Framework), are race thematic- the Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance ( GARA), and Frae Fife. The Executive has worked closely with both in developing race equality policy.

GARA- is a multi-agency partnership established to tackle the social exclusion of young people caused by racism in the city of Glasgow. The partnership draws together public sector agencies, the private sector, community and voluntary organisations to work in partnership with black / minority ethnic young people, to identify their priorities, and to develop innovative and effective anti-racist projects and practices which will prevent social exclusion.

Frae Fife- was established in 1999, with the aims of building the capacity of and empowering the Black & Minority Ethnic ( BME) communities in Fife, tackling social exclusion and improving service delivery to these communities. The organisation's primary purpose is to promote racial harmony across all races and eliminate racial discrimination.

Promoting capacity

3.58 We recognise that if we are to be held accountable for our claims to be committed to the promotion of race equality then we need to ensure that minority ethnic people and communities feel confident enough to make their case heard. Supporting the building of confidence and capacity is therefore central to the effective implementation of our scheme.

3.59 Examples of our work in this area includes our support for the Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland ( BEMIS) and its work with minority ethnic communities and groups to identify ways in which they can be more effectively organised.

3.60 The review of race equality identified a clear need for both the development of communities, majority and minority, and building the capacity of the minority ethnic voluntary sector. We will therefore be working with pan-Scotland agencies such as BEMIS and the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations ( CEMVO) and local race equality councils and other partnerships to progress this work.

3.61 Promoting capacity is an integral part of the race equality review referred to earlier. Please refer to the Executive's website for a summary of review recommendations.

Research/Statistics

3.62 The Equality Unit has commissioned a number of research and statistical projects over the last few years, including-

• Translating, Interpreting and Communication Support (to be published shortly)
• Minority Ethnic Enterprise in Scotland: A Scoping Study (June 2005)
• Black and Minority Ethnic Communities and Homelessness in Scotland (2004)
• The Review of Census Ethnicity Classifications (2005)
• 2001 Census- Analysis of Ethnicity (February 2004)
• 2001 Census- Analysis of Religion (February 2005)
• Attitudes to Discrimination In Scotland (2003)

3.63 Many of these projects are referred to earlier or later on in the Scheme. Please refer to the Executive's main website or One Scotland site for published reports. You may also wish to browse the Social Research web pages ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/Research) on the Executive's website.

Partnership Working

3.64 The Executive has built up a wide range of equality contacts and stakeholders over the last few years and we continue to work very closely with them in developing equality policy in Scotland. We are grateful to them for their time and effort and look forward to continuing this good working relationship.

3.65 Given its role, it is important that we discuss our work with the Commission for Racial Equality and that we are mindful and respectful of its independence from government. We are very appreciative of the advice and support offered by CRE over the last few years.