Scottish Government

CHAPTER 8 - GATHERING INFORMATION AND MAKING USE OF INFORMATION

Scottish Government Analytical Services Divisions

8.1 Research and evidence helps us to think about new and better ways of doing what we do and provides new insights, understandings and discoveries that are to the benefit of Scotland. The Scottish Government funds a wide range of analytical activity which both contributes to the knowledge base of Scotland, the UK and internationally and helps us to inform and assess Scottish Government policies.

8.2 All of the main Scottish Government Directorates have a dedicated Analytical Services Division ( ASD), which provides integrated analytical support from social researchers, statisticians and economists which allow them to develop and resource a relevant and focussed evidence base that includes economic appraisal, social research, evaluation and statistical analysis.

Delivering the Duty: The Importance of Evidence

8.3 The Scottish Government ( SG) is committed to evidence-based policy making. This means that we work to ensure we develop and implement good quality policies on the basis of sound evidence. We gather evidence from a range of sources, for example, we may review published research or commission new studies where research is missing or limited. We analyse information and statistics and we consult with people who have knowledge, expertise and relevant experience of the issues in question.

8.4 We recognise the importance of continually improving the quality of our evidence, particularly in terms of equality. Specifically, we understand the need to provide a comprehensive picture of the experiences of equalities groups and explore where differences between social groups may be due to disadvantage arising from inequality of opportunity and/or discrimination.

8.5 We also recognise that the gender equality duty requires us to gather and analyse information in order to develop gender equality action plans and to review the effectiveness of those action plans.

8.6 Therefore, in order to build upon our commitment to gender equality and to take forward the gender equality duty, we need to ensure that public policy properly reflects the needs, experiences and views of men and women. As such, it is important that the information, research and data that we collect take gender equality issues into account.

8.7 To meet this end, analysts across the Scottish Government have committed to a programme of work that will help us achieve the following aims:

• Improve information collected on equalities groups where gaps are identified;
• Increase the availability, accessibility and quality of data;
• Maximise the use of evidence in helping to identify and evaluate policies and action which will achieve greater equality and to help us to guard against potential adverse impacts of policy on social groups;
• Ensure that data are used effectively and systematically to evidence outcomes; and,
• Ensure that evidence/data will be used effectively and systematically as part of the process of reviewing the effectiveness of the gender equality scheme and to inform the development of future schemes.

8.8 The achievement of these objectives will be crucial in underpinning the effective discharge of the gender equality duty and the review and implementation of future schemes by the Scottish Government.

Delivering the Duty: Commitment to Mainstreaming across the Scottish Government

8.9 We are committed to mainstreaming equalities into the work of analysts by:

• Strengthening central support for mainstreaming and working to build capacity;
• Improving access to equality evidence/data; and,
• Developing a longer term strategy for improving evidence/data to make information and analysis more accessible.

a) Central Support for Mainstreaming and Building Capacity

Social Justice Analytical Unit

8.10 A Social Justice Analytical Unit was established in 2007 to provide analytical support to the Scottish Government Equality Unit and support mainstreaming of equalities across the three analytical groups - statisticians, social researchers and economists. The Unit has been responsible for coordinating the Scottish Government's input to the ONS-led Equalities Data Review of UK data on equalities and developing and implementing Equality Impact Assessment ( EQIA) training for Scottish Government analysts.

8.11 The Unit will continue to have an integral role helping analysts to build the capacity of their ASDs to provide sound equalities evidence and analysis which will inform and support policy. In so doing, the Unit will continue to support equalities mainstreaming across analytical groups to help ensure that good evidence and analysis is built into EQIA processes and public duty schemes and annual reporting.

Equality Analysts Working Group

8.12 This group was first established in 2006 to address more specific issues around equality definitions, data collection and use of evidence/data. The group membership and remit is currently under review to take account of the change in Government in May 2007 and the subsequent restructuring of our organisation.

8.13 The group will be re-launched in summer 2008 with the aim of developing capacity and awareness of equality issues across the SG. Its members will be drawn from across the Scottish Government's ASDs and will be balanced in terms of the three professional analyst groups - social researchers, statisticians and economists.

8.14 The purpose of the group will be to provide practical support and advice on mainstreaming equalities across analyst professions by:

• Developing equality briefing packs for specific policy areas;
• Improving analytical support to EQIAs;
• Coordinating ASD input to future revisions of public duty schemes and annual reporting;
• Considering better ways of ensuring that equality data are accessible and available to policy at the right time; and,
• Looking at options for improving the consistency of data collected across research and surveys.

There will be a specific focus on gender equality issues and the gender equality duty as well as equalities issues more broadly.

Linking Information Gathering to Business Planning

8.15 We recognise the importance of gathering information to inform business plans. ASDs are focusing on assisting Directorates to gather information in relation to the actions identified in their business plans thus supporting equality mainstreaming in the business planning process. This information will inform EQIA and policy development, as well as systems for monitoring and recording - enabling a better understanding of the effectiveness of policies to promote equality of opportunity between men and women.

8.16 The Equality Analyst Working Group will have an integral role here supporting ASDs to assist their Directorates to gather information to inform their business plans.

Indicators and Outcomes

8.17 The Scottish Government's performance framework was published on 14 November 2007 following the Scottish Government Spending Review ( SR). The SR framework sets out a series of high level indicators, outcomes and related targets against which the current Administration will monitor its performance.

8.18 The Social Justice Analytical Unit will continue to work with ASDs to ensure that the equality dimensions of these indicators, outcomes and targets are monitored and delivered in an evidence-based way. The Unit will also continue to work with other bodies outwith the Scottish Government to ensure the necessary linkages between the equality dimensions of the SR framework and similar frameworks used by these other bodies.

8.19 In addition, the Office of the Chief Statistician ( OCS) is currently making available to all ASDs, and others in the Scottish Government, a database of statistical outputs and sources. The database will indicate which data are available on each equality group (including gender) on each of the Scottish Government's statistical outputs and sources (170 sources and 150 outputs).

8.20 The database went 'live' on Saltire, the Scottish Government's intranet, on 31 ^st January 2008 and is currently available to the Statistician Group. The database is due to be rolled out to all Saltire users on a read-only basis later in 2008. The database will be updated on a regular basis as and when required. Individual branches will be responsible for updating the database.

b) Improving Access to Equality Evidence/Data

The 'Portal to Resources and Information on Mainstreaming Equalities' ( PRIME)

8.21 The PRIME website pulls together links to a wide range of research and statistical evidence across a full range of equality and policy areas, and is designed to help colleagues review and strengthen the evidence relevant to gender equality (and other equalities groups) within policy areas. The website has been promoted and used in particular to inform EQIAs.

8.22 The website use and content is to be reviewed during 2008 by the Equality Analyst Working Group in light of the Scottish Government's priorities.

A Gender Audit of Statistics: Comparing the Position of Women and Men in Scotland

8.23 The Gender Audit was published in 2007. It is an independent piece of research commissioned on behalf of the Scottish Government by Communities Analytical Services, to provide a review of statistics on gender differences and inequalities in Scotland across a range of key areas of social and economic life: demographic and population change; participation in political and public life; education and training; the labour market; income and wealth; care and caring; health; crime and justice; housing; and transport.

8.24 The Gender Audit continues to provide an important source of evidence on gender equality as it is the most comprehensive analysis to date of currently available gender disaggregated statistics, and, where relevant, key research reports and reviews, for Scotland. This report contains a wide range of statistical data which indicates the comparative position of women and men in Scotland, including changes over time, and provides commentary interpreting these data. The report also provides guidance on other sources of data and how these data can be used in the development of gender equality schemes.

High Level Summary of Equalities Statistics

8.25 The High Level Summary of Equality Statistics ( HLSES) was published in November 2006 and continues to provide an important source of evidence on equalities. Communities ASD will be reviewing the role and scope of this publication in collaboration with the Equality Analysts Working Group from summer 2008. It is also intended that any work undertaken to revise and update the HLSES would consider updating aspects of the Gender Audit, depending on user requirements.

c) Longer Term Strategy for Improving Evidence/Data

8.26 We continue to work to improve the collection and analysis of equalities evidence and data, particularly in terms of the kinds of information collected on the differing needs, views and experiences of women and men. All national surveys break down data by gender. In addition, more work is being done by various directorates to link mainstreaming concerns with equalities data collection and analysis issues. Examples of how we intend to improve the collection and analysis of evidence and data are discussed below.

Building Equalities into our Processes

8.27 To build equalities into our processes we are developing our work in two key areas. Firstly, we are developing our procurement guidance so that it evidences the extent to which social issues, including gender equality have been incorporated into all stages of the procurement process. Secondly, to assist with the mainstreaming of gender equality into policy making we are further developing the information base in relation to gender.

Procurement Process

8.28 The Office of the Chief Researcher ( OCR) published a new version of the Guidance for Commissioning and Managing Social Research on 15 January 2008. This version includes a new separate section on mainstreaming equality issues, including gender equality, in social research commissioning and management as well as other references throughout, including compliance with equalities duties. The forms used during the research procurement process have also been updated to include equalities issues. These documents will continue to be updated as required.

8.29 The CERES (Central Research) database collects information on whether equality issues have been considered in the procurement of social research. There are plans to update this function during 2008 to make it a mandatory field completed by all research managers. This will allow for more detailed information on equality issues to be collected on social research projects.

8.30 Further, the Ethics Working Group is developing a checklist for research project managers. The checklist will ask questions about whether all equalities issues have been addressed in the development, procurement and management of all social research commissioned projects.

Developing the Information Base

8.31 Attitudinal Data: The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey Core Module routinely collects background demographic data, including gender, for all survey respondents. Gender is also a key variable for data analysis and any significant differences between men and women in their attitudes towards government and public services are reported in the annual Core Reports.

8.32 Data Comparing Social Groups: If we are to address inequality effectively, we need to understand more about issues of multiple discrimination and the complex inter-linkages between gender and other equalities strands such as age, disability and ethnicity. There are often considerable methodological difficulties involved in producing data on multiple discrimination, particularly in relation to ethnicity, because of small sample sizes. However, where feasible, we will undertake to disaggregate and analyse data which combines gender and other equality strands. The Gender Audit of Statistics described above includes analysis of data on gender and ethnicity and gender and disability, where such data is available.

8.33 Sample Sizes: Although there are technical challenges involved in breaking down information on groups that are statistically small in number, we are making progress on finding solutions to these challenges by undertaking work, through the harmonisation work programme, to integrate the samples of the Scottish Government's five core surveys ⁹. The work programme is aiming for survey samples to be added together (possibly as early as July 2009), to produce larger, more robust samples available for analysis.

8.34 Exploring Various Methodologies: Where necessary, and if required, we will explore various methods such as the use of standalone, issue-focused surveys to provide supplementary quantitative information to the larger national surveys. Exploration will be undertaken in collaboration with the Equality Analyst Working Group. We will support the use of such methods where we believe they would improve our evidence around gender equality issues (and other equality groups).

8.35 Scottish Household Survey ( SHS): A new discrimination question was added to the SHS asking respondents about experiences of verbal or physical abuse within their communities because of their disability, gender, age, race, faith or sexual orientation. The question is currently being evaluated for 2009. In the meantime, analysis of responses (by equality groups where feasible) to the question will appear in the SHS annual report (or supplementary tables) due to be published in August 2008.

Scottish Government Analytical Services Divisions - Specific Action across the Scottish Government

8.36 The latest Gender Equality Scheme Annual Report was published on 30 ^th March 2008 ¹⁰. This annual report provides a summary of the steps the Scottish Government ( SG) has taken to progress its gender equality objectives, which were set out in its gender equality scheme published on 30 March 2007.

8.37 For the revised gender equality scheme ( GES), this chapter has set out our strategic framework, for the next three years (2008 - 2011), on how we are going to gather information and make use of information to further promote equality of opportunity in relation to gender. The remainder of this chapter sets out what specific actions are going to be undertaken by ASDs across the Scottish Government to do likewise.

8.38 Future annual reports will then detail the steps we have taken to progress what we said we would do in our strategic framework and the following ASD actions to further promote equality of opportunity between men and women.

Office of the Chief Statistician ( OCS)

Introduction

8.39 OCS is committed to the development of statistics in the Scottish Government and to support effective gender equality mainstreaming OCS is responsible for:

1) Providing and promoting access to statistical sources disaggregated by gender (and other equality groups) across all Scottish Government ( SG) statistical outputs and sources for use by Government officials. Extracts of the database can be made available to others, on request.

2) The Scottish Harmonisation Working Group has developed and agreed a harmonised core question (input and output) on gender to be used in the SG's five main statistical surveys, which will facilitate aggregated gender data from these surveys. This core question is being promoted across smaller government surveys, local authority surveys and administrative sources. It is consistent with ONS harmonised gender question.

Action

High Level Summary of Equality Statistics ( HLSES)

8.40 The Office of the Chief Statistician published the High Level Summary of Equality Statistics in November 2006 ¹¹. It is a compendium of key statistical trends, gathered and collated by OCS from statisticians across the SG for the main areas of Government activity, disaggregated by age, disability, gender, ethnicity and, in some cases, religion. It also provides a comprehensive list of data sources, where more detailed data can be accessed. To ensure widespread access, it was made available as hard copy and published on the Scottish Government statistics web-site, where data can be extracted for each equality group, including gender.

8.41 The HLSES continues to provide policy-makers across the SG with access to key equalities data and equality data sources (including on gender) that they can use to undertake evidence-based policy assessments and evaluations in relation to gender issues.

8.42 Responsibility for the HLSES passed from OCS to Communities ASD in autumn 2007. Communities ASD will be reviewing the role and scope of the HLSES in collaboration with the Equality Analyst Working Group (from summer 2008).

Database of Statistical Outputs and Sources

8.43 OCS is currently compiling a database detailing which equality strands are included in each of the Scottish Government's statistical outputs and sources (c. 170 sources and 150 outputs) - including a flag for gender. The database went 'live' on the Scottish Government's intranet on 31 January 2008 and is currently available to the Statistician Group. The database is due to be rolled out to all Saltire (the Scottish Government's intranet) users on a read-only basis later in 2008. The database will be updated on a regular basis as and when required. Individual branches will be responsible for updating the database.

8.44 The database, like the HLSES, will provide analysts and policy-makers with easy access to gender statistics (and other equality groups) contained in all Scottish Government's statistical outputs and sources.

The Survey Harmonisation Work Programme

8.45 The Methodology Forum Sub-Group (Survey Harmonisation) is aiming for survey samples to be added together (possibly as early as July 2009) making larger, more robust samples available for analysis, including for gender. A sample additive methodology is being developed and the dissemination strategy for this large sample is being discussed.

8.46 The larger sample size, derived when data from the five core surveys are aggregated (including for gender), will help to ensure that data used, particularly trend data, to monitor and evaluate policy outcomes, are more robust.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.47 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• Developing and agreeing a harmonised core question for gender to be used in the SG's five main statistical surveys;
• Compiling the database of statistical outputs and sources to provide easy access to gender statistics (and other equality statistics);
• Improving disaggregation by adding together survey samples from the SG's 5 large-scale surveys to allow for larger, more robust samples available for analysis on gender (and other equality groups).

Office of the Chief Researcher ( OCR)

Introduction

8.48 OCR will continue to work to ensure that all the equalities duties, including gender equality, are firmly embedded within social research practice. Firstly, a new version of the Guidance for Commissioning and Managing Social Science Research was published on 15 January 2008, which includes a new section on mainstreaming equalities issues, including gender, as well as other references throughout to meet compliance with equalities duties. This document will continue to be updated as required.

8.49 Secondly, training has recently been held to ensure that analysts have the skills and knowledge to implement the public duties effectively within their work. Over the last six months, OCR and the Equalities Research Team have been providing equalities training to analysts in all ASDs. The purpose of the training has been:

• To raise awareness of the new equalities duties and enable analysts to fulfil their responsibilities under this legislation;
• To introduce analysts to the Scottish Government's Equalities Impact Assessment toolkit and explore the role of analysts in supporting policy colleagues to carry these assessments out.

Action

Procurement Guidance

8.50 As well as the new version of the Guidance for Commissioning and Managing Social Research, the forms used during the research procurement process have also been updated to ensure that equalities issues continue to be addressed throughout the process. Further work will be undertaken during 2008 to develop intranet pages/click through guidance on considering equalities issues, including gender when procuring research.

CERES (Central Research)

8.51 The CERES database also collects information on whether equalities issues have been considered in the procurement of social research. There are plans to update this function later in 2008 so that more detailed information on equalities issues is collected on social research projects. Social research that supports and informs policy development will therefore help to ensure that the promotion of gender equality is taken fully into account.

The Ethics Working Group

8.52 The Ethics Working Group is developing a checklist for research project managers. The checklist will ask questions about whether all equalities issues have been addressed in the development, procurement and management of all social research commissioned projects therefore, as above, ensuring that the promotion of gender equality is taken fully into account.

Scottish Government Employee Survey

8.53 The employee survey now asks for demographics on the six equality strands and about caring responsibilities. The corporate report highlights areas where there are significant differences in opinions and perceptions of the Scottish Government and its policies between different demographic groups in comparison to the findings as a whole. The employee survey covers topics such as reward, work life balance, bullying and harassment and overall engagement.

Analytical Work on Demography

8.54 OCR's ongoing work on demography includes support for external research and knowledge transfer seminars exploring the theme of fertility in Scotland. The research regularly flags a number of important gender issues, including the key role of flexible working policies, childcare provision and the unequal household division of labour in influencing levels of fertility in Scotland.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.55 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• Procurement guidance and CERES database - report on any further changes that we have made to further promote gender equality;
• Developing and rolling-out the ethics checklist;
• Reporting and disseminating findings from the employee survey highlighting any gender inequality and the subsequent actions taken to address these;
• Reporting and disseminating findings from the analytical work on demography.

Education Analytical Services Division ( EAS)

Introduction

8.56 Within EAS there is a range of ongoing activities regarding the capture of data and research on issues of gender. These activities are set out below.

Action

Research Procedures

8.57 Scottish Government Social Research procedures have been updated using a new approach to ethical assurance which covers our equality responsibilities. This requires equalities issues including those related to gender to be expressly addressed in each project before it is undertaken. Each project and individual research design is reviewed to decide what approach to gender equality is appropriate.

8.58 In addition, a member of staff is identified as an ethical advisor to review and offer advice where ethical issues including equalities arise. Further guidance on considering equalities in the commissioning and managing of research is being developed for use across Social Research and will be followed by EAS once available.

Scottish Exchange of Educational Data

8.59 A significant amount of data is gathered from Scottish schools and local authorities through the ScotXed (Scottish Exchange of Educational Data) Unit. The Unit continues to undertake the collection of high quality data to support education and children's services in order to provide robust data that is fit for the purpose of analytical products across the Division, and forms part of the evidence base that policy require.

8.60 The ScotXed data will continue to be analysed to highlight gender imbalance in relation to, for example, achievement and attainment of pupils and education workforce. The data will continue to be used to develop and provide the secondary school sector with benchmarking data highlighting differences between the performance of boys and girls in Scottish Credit and Qualifications ( SCQF) courses.

8.61 Further, the ScotXed Unit plays a pivotal role in partnership working with a wide range of stakeholders from across the Scottish education community. Any work plans are approved by a strategic group which oversees and directs ScotXed activity to ensure the Unit is inclusive in terms of engagement and activity where possible (including with equality groups).

Children, Young People and Social Care Unit ( CYPSC)

8.62 Each project taken forward by the Unit is subject to detailed scrutiny by research advisory groups under the terms of the gender equality scheme. This includes consideration of sampling, questionnaire design and data analysis options appropriate to each project.

8.63 The Unit routinely engages with a wide range of stakeholder organisations to ensure that evidence is gathered and analysed appropriately with respect to all equality groups. A significant recent area of activity, to develop an action plan for children affected by domestic abuse, has been specifically designed to engage children and young people directly in the policy making process.

Lifelong Learning Unit

8.64 The Unit has been fully engaged with the Scottish Government's cross-directorate group on occupational segregation. In so doing, the Unit has undertaken, and will continue to undertake, analysis to help highlight potential issues around earnings, occupations and education which are key to developing solutions to the issues of occupational segregation.

8.65 Statistics on gender equality in the take-up of higher education continue to be reported as a mainstream output of statistical releases and supplementary analyses.

Economic Advice

8.66 Within appraisals and evaluations, the distributional impact of policy initiatives is assessed to identify differential impacts on diverse groups (including in relation to gender) within the population.

Working with Policy Colleagues

8.67 A survey of EQIAs in DG Education (Schools, Children, Young People and Social Care and Life-Long Learning ( LLL)) was undertaken in July/Aug 2007 by EAS and LLL Research ¹². The results of this survey were shared with equalities research and through them the equalities unit to help inform our future approach to EQIAs. Nine EQIAs in Schools and eight in LLL were identified as completed or in progress. By undertaking the survey and asking all Branch Heads about their involvement in EQIAs, the profile and importance of producing EQIAs was raised.

8.68 To support policy colleagues with EQIAs, analysts in EAS have received training on EQIAs during 2008.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.69 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• Adopting any changes made to research procurement procedures and ethics guidance into our working practice;
• Reporting and disseminating ScotXed findings and how the evidence base here informs and impacts on policy;
• CYPSC Unit - steps taken to use the action plan to engage children affected by domestic abuse directly in the policy making process. We will also report on any other activity undertaken by the Unit to ensure that evidence is gathered and analysed appropriately with respect to all equality groups (in this context, on gender);
• LLL Unit - report on analysis undertaken by the Unit which assists with developing solutions to issues of occupational segregation;
• Economic appraisals and evaluations - report on any work undertaken to identify differential impacts, in relation to gender, within the population as a whole;
• EQIAs - report on work we have undertaken to support policy colleagues in undertaking these.

Office of the Chief Economic Adviser: Local Government and Public Service Reform

Introduction

8.70 We ensure that gender equality is considered in our commissioned work. How we do this is set out below.

Action

Surveys

8.71 Scottish Household Survey ( SHS) data on local government and public services is available and can be analysed by gender. In particular, we collect data on perceptions and use of local services, which is used to consider access to services and make service improvements. We also collect data on digital inclusion by gender to enable policy to identify and address any digital divide.

8.72 The Candidate Survey and Elected Members Surveys explore the gender diversity among elected members and all candidates standing for election. This data is being used to continue the policy agenda for widening access to local government elections. This survey was undertaken in 2003 and 2007 and will only be taken again following any subsequent local elections.

Website Design

8.73 We are currently providing evidence from literature and plan to run focus groups with different equalities groups on usability of websites to highlight good practices for website design. This is being used to design the OneScotland portal to ensure it is inclusive.

Modelling Tax Benefit Changes

8.74 Modelling the impact of tax and benefit changes on Scottish households will provide a better understanding of how changes to the tax and benefit system impact on various types of households in Scotland. This has explicitly covered gender and results have been used to highlight the winners and losers in the public consultation materials. Analysis will be undertaken following Budget and Pre-Budget Report announcements which are normally in March and October of each year, respectively.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.75 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• Undertaking gendered analyses of SHS data in relation to local government and public services;
• Logging any amendments made to the OneScotland portal as a result of evaluation of gender issues;
• On modelling tax benefit changes - we will report, by gender, on findings from the winners and losers analysis.

Corporate Analytical Services: Europe, External Affairs and Culture ( EEAC)

Introduction

8.76 In Europe, External Affairs and Culture, data on gender is collected to establish differences between participation and access to the arts and culture by men and women. The Scottish Household Survey Culture and Sport Module is an example of such research.

Action

Scottish Household Survey ( SHS) Culture and Sport Module

8.77 Results of the SHS Culture and Sport Module, which asks about barriers and obstacles to accessing culture, will analyse results by gender and establish what policy can do to improve access for certain groups in the population to cultural activities ( e.g. different issues that affect women and men of different ages in accessing cultural and sport facilities - income, childcare, feeling out of place, different teenage interests, peer group pressure etc.).

8.78 This module will provide new and unprecedented data on levels and extent of participation in culture and sport, by local authority area, and allow the SG to gain an insight into the barriers to participation - data will be disaggregated by gender, and will inform on levels of participation of women and men and barriers to participation. Initial results are due by autumn 2008 with the main results due the following year (autumn 2009).

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.79 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• We will report in the first SHS report for the main SHS survey (end 2008), in which we have questions on the level and extent of participation in culture and sport only, the differences in participation by men and women, by age, and income to establish whether there is any particular group that does not participate in either culture or sport (or both) according to these variables;
• We will report in the first SHS report on the Culture and Sport module (end 2008), the differences in participation by gender and the different barriers that face men and women to participation in culture and sport, and how these relate specifically to gender;
• We will report for both the above on data received from fieldwork in 2008 at the end of 2009.

Transport Directorate: Analytical Services Unit

Introduction

8.80 Statistical data reveals differences in patterns of transport use, experience, and travel behaviour, and involvement in road accidents, between men and women. Differences suggest that it is important to gather information on the impacts that general transport policy have on men and women. There is little information available for transgender people, although focus group research for the National Transport Strategy ( NTS) development found that lesbian, gay and transgender participants were one of the groups most likely to feel that they had few specific transport needs.

8.81 Throughout our routine data collections, we collect equalities data where appropriate and possible. Our main data source, the Scottish Household Survey ( SHS), allows us to analyse travel and transport questions by gender. Some of this data, including use of buses and rail services and travel to work patterns for men and women, is presented in The Scottish Government's "High Level Summary of Equality Statistics" http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/933/0041853.pdf. In addition, our regular statistical publications include a range of tables which disaggregate by gender.

8.82 However, much information about transport in Scotland is not collected by the Scottish Government. For example, Scotrail, the Civil Aviation Authority, CalMac, to name but a few, are the collectors of data on passenger numbers and ticket sales etc. We liaise with such organisations through our ScotStat Committee on matters of shared interest and responsibility.

8.83 It is standard practice for all equalities issues - including those to do with gender - to be explored in all new research and data collection commissioned by the Transport Analytical Services Unit ( ASU). Where appropriate, the need for sufficient information relating to gender equality in research to inform policy development, to appraise policy options, or to evaluate policy is routinely considered.

8.84 Representatives of all three professional groups in ASU have recently undergone Equality Impact Assessment ( EQIA) training in order to assist policy colleagues in the assessment of all new and revised policies.

Actions

Survey Harmonisation

885 In connection with recent and ongoing work being undertaken by OCS on harmonisation of the core questions across all Scottish Government surveys, Transport ASU will ensure that any further transport surveys ( e.g. Bus Information Survey) will be collated in the same manner, allowing the resulting analysis to be undertaken by gender. This will ensure that travel statistics can be analysed by gender in a consistent manner.

Bus Information Survey

8.86 Transport ASU will be commissioning a Bus Information Survey over 2008-2009. This will provide further information on travel experiences of men and women. This will explore satisfaction with, and views on, bus services amongst both those who do, and those who do not, travel by bus amongst the general public, as a means of informing policy to improve bus provision. The findings will be analysed to explore the experiences of men and women, as well as other equality groups.

Scottish Road Safety Strategy

8.87 This Scottish Road Safety Strategy is currently at the consultation stage. Research to explore young people's views and experiences about road safety issues is currently being commissioned to inform the Strategy. This will include gender analysis of the findings and will inform the proposed approach to tackle road safety issues amongst young men in particular.

EQIAs

8.88 The ASU is committed to providing assistance to transport policy colleagues in the equality impact assessment of new and revised transport policies, particularly in assessing the available evidence on the needs and experiences of equality groups and the likely impacts of new policy on them. These evidence-based equality impact assessments will continue to enable Transport Directorate to demonstrate how it is promoting gender equality through transport policy.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.89 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• How we are adopting the harmonisation work undertaken by OCS into our transport surveys;
• Bus Information Survey - reporting on findings in relation to gender and how these are disseminated;
• Scottish Road Safety Strategy - report on gender analysis of findings from the young people's road safety research to inform the Strategy;
• EQIAs - report on the work we have undertaken to support policy colleagues in undertaking these.

Communities Analytical Services ( CAS) Division

Introduction

8.90 We are working to ensure that we provide policy makers with robust and systematic evidence on gender to inform all stages of the policy cycle. All staff are encouraged and supported to do this through a divisional-wide approach to equality training - including specific awareness of gender issues - and the development of expertise and resources within the Division.

8.91 CAS is committed to adhering to OCR's new version of the Guidance for Commissioning and Managing Social Research which ensures all equalities issues, including gender, are explicitly considered throughout the research procurement and management process.

8.92 We also have a role to support equality mainstreaming, including promoting gender equality to analysts across the Scottish Government.

Action

Scottish Social Attitudes Survey and the Discrimination Module

8.93 In December 2007, we published the results of the discrimination module from the 2006 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey entitled Attitudes to Discrimination in Scotland: 2006. The survey measured attitudes towards discrimination across a range of equalities groups, including a limited amount of gender related questions on attitudes to equal opportunities and positive action. The survey also showed that just over one in five feel that a women is more suitable as primary school teacher than a man is.

8.94 The survey also went some way to look at attitudes towards transsexual people (described in the survey as someone who has had a sex change operation). The findings revealed that 50% would be unhappy if a relative married a transsexual person, 30% thought they would be unsuitable as a primary school teacher and 22% thought B&B owners should be allowed to refuse a booking from a transsexual person.

8.95 Gender was a variable used in the data analysis, to see if there were any significant differences between men and women in their attitudes towards discrimination. Where differences were identified these were detailed in the report.

8.96 A follow-up seminar with stakeholders to discuss policy implications of the range of findings from the discrimination module, took place in April 2008. Work is ongoing, in conjunction with the EHRC, to address policy implications and consider plans for further attitudinal research.

Transgender Alliance

8.97 Social Justice Analysts will be working with the Transgender Alliance to support the development of the evidence base on transgender issues. We will arrange for the Transgender Alliance to present the findings of their research to members of the Social Justice Analytical Unit and other interested colleagues.

Commissioned Research

8.98 Equalities Research team have commissioned an academic expert to undertake a small-scale review of the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland. This analytical paper will review relevant policy documentation, research literature and available data on domestic abuse in Scotland. The review will be used by the Equality Unit to inform development of the new Violence Against Women Strategy during 2008.

8.99 In 2008, the Equalities Research team will be updating a literature review on violence against women previously conducted in 2004, which reviewed the extent of the problem, consequences of violence against women and response to the different types of violence. Updates and additions to this literature review will be used to inform the work of the Equality Unit's Violence Against Women Team.

High Level Summary of Equality Statistics ( HLSES)

8.100 We are reviewing the HLSES to ensure that future publications meet user needs. Communities ASD will be reviewing the role and scope of this publication in collaboration with the Equality Analyst Working Group.

Poverty

8.101 Gender and wider equality issues and analysis are mainstreamed into our work on poverty. For example, we have analysed poverty data by gender and other equality issues and we will undertake further analysis of the Family Resource Survey in relation to the links between poverty and gender. We are also ensuring that researchers with expertise in the areas can feed into the poverty discussion. For example, we held a divisional lunchtime seminar on gender and the Solidarity Target ¹³ and are also planning a round table where equalities researchers and policy will discuss the gender and other equality evidence and how it can feed into the development for the poverty framework.

Gender Pay Gap

8.102 'An Investigation into the Gender Pay Gap in Scotland' - This project (which is an MSc dissertation) attempts to identify the factors influencing the gender pay gap in Scotland. The analysis presents summary statistics on the pay gap, and discusses the published theoretical literature on the topic and evidence for the UK. The project also uses data from the 2006 Annual Population Survey to undertake econometric analysis of the influence and importance of different characteristics of the gender pay gap in Scotland.

8.103 The expected completion date of this work is summer 2008. To date, the findings from this work have been presented to analysts within Communities ASD, and to the Equalities Team. There may be further dissemination activity in the form of an economic discussion paper.

Equality Analyst Working Group

8.104 We have developed a cross SG and cross professional working group for analysts which aims to develop capacity and awareness of equality issues across the SG. To date the group has undergone EQIA training and is developing equality briefings packs for specific policy areas. There is a specific focus on the promotion of gender equality and the public sector duties as well as equalities issues more broadly.

8.105 The group membership and remit is currently under review to take account of the change in Government in May 2007 and the subsequent restructuring of our organisation. The group will be re-launched in summer 2008.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.106 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• What we have done to continue to support equality mainstreaming across the SG;
• Attitudinal research - report on plans taken forward;
• How we have worked with the Transgender Alliance to develop the evidence base on transgender issues;
• Report on the findings from our commissioned research and how the work here has informed the development of the New Violence Against Women Strategy;
• Reviewing the HLSES to ensure future publications meet user needs;
• Analysis undertaken on the Family Resources Survey in relation to the links between poverty and gender;
• Dissemination of the Gender Pay Gap MSc dissertation findings;
• Re-initiating the Equality Analyst Working Group and reporting on the work the group has undertaken on mainstreaming equality and promotion of gender equality;
• EQIAs - report on the work we have undertaken to support policy colleagues in undertaking these.

Justice Analytical Services

Introduction

8.107 We are working on an ongoing basis to improve the evidence base for Justice in relation to gender. We are also working to ensure that this evidence informs the policy cycle through highlighting the importance of Equality Impact Assessments and supporting policy colleagues to undertake these.

8.108 Justice ASD also participates in a cross analytical working group for mainstreaming equalities, working to increase awareness of equalities duties and improve support for policy colleagues to meet these duties.

Action

Scottish Crime and Justice Survey ( SCJS)

8.109 The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey will collect data on the gender, ethnicity, age, religion and sexual orientation of victims. The survey will contribute significantly to the evidence base on gender and victimisation. The fieldwork for the survey began in April 2008, and data will be available annually from autumn 2009.

8.110 Importantly, the survey has a larger sample size (16,000 achieved interviews), allowing for more data to be gathered and analysis to be undertaken of lower volume crimes, such as violence, or at lower levels of geography, than has previously been possible. In the victim form, as per previous crime surveys, victims are asked why they felt they were a victim of crime (including discrimination), and there is additional information on harassment in the module section of the questionnaire. The SCJS also has an improved self-completion section which will provide valuable information on violence against women, as the section includes questions on experience of domestic abuse and sexual victimisation as well as stalking and harassment. Finally, one of the modules in the survey covers instances of pestering and harassment which may not necessarily constitute a crime, including victims perceptions of the reasons for this.

8.111 These changes will mean that the survey will provide policy makers with more data, and a better understanding on women's and men's experiences and perceptions of crime and the criminal justice system over time in Scotland.

Stakeholders Engagement

8.112 Justice ASD undertake work to engage and consult with key stakeholders ( e.g.EHRC, Glasgow Women's Support and Scottish Women's Aid) in order to promote and progress gender equality in the context of Justice.

8.113 The Civil and International Analytical Team within Justice ASD have organised a programme of focus groups to consult with a range of stakeholders on "Organising Child Contact" and these are currently underway. The focus groups followed on from a highly successful one-day seminar in January 2008 that brought together academics, professionals and voluntary sector organisations to discuss issues around the current legal framework for contact between children and non-resident parents. The issue of domestic violence and abuse was raised during the seminar and has subsequently been explored in more depth in later focus groups. Discussions on these issues also continue with Scottish Women's Aid.

8.114 The Civil and International Analytical team will also continue their involvement with the National Domestic Abuse Delivery Group, exploring how the evidence base on the issue of the impact of domestic abuse in child contact cases can inform and support the work of the Group.

8.115 Through such dynamic processes of engagement with stakeholders, the team will develop, with reference to the equality agenda, a programme of research on contact and family law.

Civil Legal Need

8.116 The Civil and International Analytical team is currently undertaking an exercise to examine and synthesise existing evidence on the need for civil legal information, advice, assistance and representation across Scotland, as part of the Access to Justice Agenda. To date, this work has revealed negligible difference between genders in the incidence of civil justiciable problems. However, work is still to be undertaken on exploring behaviours in reacting to such problems and the question of gender will be specifically considered within this.

EQIAs

8.117 Justice ASD has also supported policy colleagues in a number of Equality Impact Assessments, ensuring that available equalities data is used to consider the impact of policy initiatives and strategies on women and men. We will continue to encourage colleagues to undertake assessments and provide analytic support for these as part of our analytical planning and programme development process.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.118 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• Reporting on findings from the SCJS and the contributions these have made to improving the evidence base;
• Engagement and consultation with key stakeholders - steps we have taken to develop a programme of research on contact and family law. We will also report on any actions, through engagement and consultation, we have taken in order to promote and progress gender equality;
• Exploring the evidence base to inform and support the work of the National Domestic Abuse Delivery Group;
• Reporting on any findings on the relationship between gender and civil legal need in Scotland;
• EQIAs - the work we have undertaken to support policy colleagues in undertaking these.

Rural and Environment Analytical Services ( REAS)

Introduction

8.119 REAS is working to ensure that we provide robust and systematic evidence on gender to inform all stages of the policy cycle, across Agriculture, Rural, Marine and Environment ( ARME) policy development and evaluation. We acknowledge that for significant areas of this portfolio, the gender equality dimensions of policy are still being scoped out and that our contribution lies as much in assisting the mapping of gender policy implications, as in the collection of data and evidence in support of this. REAS is committed to addressing the 'equalities data and evidence' challenge across the portfolio as a priority for 08/09, and embeds 'equalities requirements' into divisional evidence meetings that inform the business planning process.

8.120 All REAS staff are encouraged and supported through a divisional-wide approach to equality training - including specific awareness of gender issues - and the development of expertise and resources within the Division. During 2007/8 a number of REAS staff undertook OCR training on the Equalities Impact Assessment toolkit.

8.121 We also have a role to support 'rural' and 'climate change' mainstreaming across all SG policy development, and routinely embed equalities questions/dimensions in our mainstreaming work. Likewise, within economic evaluations, the distributional impact of policy initiatives is assessed to identify differential impacts on diverse groups within the population as appropriate.

8.122 In the research that we commission, we have been using the new Social Research 'ethical checklist' in the commissioning and management stages of research projects which ensures that equalities issues are explicitly considered in the commissioning process. Our rural and environment research teams participated in the pilot and evaluation of this new system, and our Environment Principal Research Officer is identified as a Scottish Government Social Research ethical advisor to review and offer advice across REAS (and to policy colleagues) where ethical issues, including around gender, arise.

8.123 Further, research commissioned through Social Research procedures incorporates explicit consideration of equalities issues in the commissioning strategy, specification and tender documents.

Action

Commitment

8.124 When research or evidence gathering is requested from the policy divisions and Directorates for Greener, Environmental Quality, Marine and Rural, the question of whether there are gender implications is raised by analysts in the earliest discussions of analysis required. In the commissioning of any social research surveys, gender is routinely embedded as a demographic variable in anticipation of its impact on the issue. More specifically, as more research and analysis is requested on the vulnerability and resilience of certain remote, rural and coastal communities, we specify the potential impact of economic change on both women and men in these areas. Additionally, as we assess the socio-economic impacts of changes related to Climate Change adaptation and mitigation, we raise the possibility of gender-differentiated impacts and anticipate this through the methodologies we design (for example, in work exploring the social impacts of flooding and flood risk).

Consultation and Engagement Work

8.125 REAS analysts routinely advise and manage research contracts relating to consultation and engagement work across the portfolio, and explore options for engaging 'harder to reach' equalities groups within each policy area. In key policy areas ( e.g. fishing communities, recycling policy) we anticipate and advise on the sensitive design and reach of engagement exercises, to take account of gendered experiences, ensuring that this is captured in analysis, and complemented with further research if necessary. In the main, gender is an aspect of ARME policy development that is still being scoped out and REAS is involved in earliest discussions.

Surveys

8.126 The Scottish Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours Survey 2008 ( SEABS'08) will be gathering basic gender data (through questions agreed by the Statistics Harmonisation Working Group) and anticipates the generation of new data for key environmental issues. The Scottish Household Survey contains data which is key to portfolio interests and REAS is able to draw equalities/gender data from this, as required. From 2008-2011, REAS expects this data to inform more sensitive, gendered understandings of environmental behaviours and rural and marine livelihoods in particular. In agriculture, gender information is collected on the agricultural workforce in several surveys including the June Agricultural Census and the Hours and Earnings Survey.

Improving the Evidence-Base

8.127 Both the Natural Environment Statistics Advisory Committee ( NESAC) and the Scottish Environment Social Evidence Group ( SESEG) are committed to assessing and improving the evidence base for environment policy development and evaluation and have highlighted 'equalities data' as priorities for 2008-2010.

Business Planning

8.128 REAS undertake scoping of Agriculture, Rural, Marine, Environment and Greener evidence requirements for equalities, including gender, in each business planning year. This allows REAS to map the key policy areas, issues and questions that require evidence and data.

EQIAs

8.129 REAS assists policy colleagues in completing EQIAs for key policy and legislative developments ( e.g. Scottish Climate Change Bill). We are aware that the evidence base from which policy colleagues complete EQIAs requires further development, and we are seeking to assess priorities across the portfolio for new evidence needs.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.130 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• The steps we have taken to ensure that we provide robust and systematic evidence on gender to inform all stages of the policy cycle, across Agriculture, Rural, Marine and Environment policy development and evaluation;
• The steps we have taken to address the 'equalities data and evidence' challenge across the portfolio (in this context on gender);
• EQIAs - the work we have undertaken to support policy colleagues in undertaking these;
• Engagement work which has involved a gender dimension;
• Specific reporting on gender from social and agricultural surveys, where relevant.

Health Analytical Services

Introduction

8.131 Health Analytical Services has developed an evidence base around equalities/inequalities through the commissioning of social research, work with Information Services Division ( ISD) of NHSScotland, regular data collections, work with the Health Inequalities Task Force, work with Patients and Quality and the Fair for All stands (which has now become part of Health Scotland).

8.132 Health Analytical Services knows that if we are to address inequality effectively, we need to understand issues of multiple discrimination and the complex inter-linkages between gender and other equalities strands: age, disability, sexual orientation, race, level of deprivation and religion/belief.

8.133 Key functions of Health Analytical Services are:

• Supporting policy development, implementation and evaluation by providing appropriate and relevant evidence, advice and analysis through an integrated analytical approach;
• To respond to and address data and evidence needs across Health Directorates with attention to equality groups, including gender;
• Providing analytical support in the measurement and reporting of the performance of health and community care services; and,
• To work closely with ISD, other NHS organisations, and local authorities to ensure the availability and application of high quality information.

Action

Scottish Health Survey

8.134 The Health Survey includes the collection of equality strand information including for gender and will continue to improve our understanding of the nature and extent of health issues facing women and men.

NHS Resource Allocation Formula (Arbuthnott and NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee ( NRAC)

8.135 The revised allocation formula proposed by NRAC will be implemented from 2009/10 and includes an explicit adjustment for the effects of gender on the cost of providing healthcare to patients. The formula includes age-sex cost weights which reflect the national average costs of healthcare resource use per head per year, split by age and sex categories. Further, the differing needs of males and females in different age groups are reflected via the differing costs of treating these groups ( e.g. costs of childbirth for women, lower life expectancy of males).

8.136 NRAC reviewed the age and sex adjustments and proposed a refined and extended set of weights that use more disaggregated groupings and takes account of the ageing population.

8.137 Looking ahead NRAC also recommends that issues of equality and diversity are considered in any future review of the formula, ascertaining whether robust evidence is available and consulting on proposed recommendations with equality groups.

Statistics Review

8.138 Statistics Reviews ensure that ISD and other data collections provide data by equality group, including gender where appropriate. Such reviews allow the potential for more data to be available and analysed by gender to ensure policy development properly takes into account the needs, experiences and views of women and men.

Community Care Data Collections

8.139 Health Analytical Services ensures that the collection of data across community care includes gender where appropriate. This is to ensure, as above, in the context of community care, that more data is available to be analysed by gender so that policy development properly reflects the needs, experiences and views of women and men.

Pre-Expenditure Delivery Assessment ( PEDA)

8.140 Equalities are addressed as part of pre-expenditure assessments within all Health Directorates.

Annual Reporting - on what we've done

8.141 Given the above, in future annual reports, we will report on what we've done to progress the following actions:

• Reporting on findings from the Health Survey, Community Care data collection and PEDA and the contributions these have made to improving the evidence base;
• NHS Resource Allocation Formula - reporting on: the formula implementation; any gendered analysis on the cost of providing healthcare to patients; and how equality groups are consulted on proposed recommendations for future reviews;
• Statistics review work we have undertaken to improve data collections in relation to gender.