Equality Data Improvement Programme (EDIP) project board

Overview

The EDIP project board was established in April 2021 and comprises Scottish Government officials and representatives from a range of external public sector bodies with a key interest in mainstreaming equalities.

The project board is co-chaired by the Scottish Government’s chief statistician and chief social researcher. 

Within the Scottish Government, the EDIP is led by officials in Communities Analysis Division (CAD), and the senior responsible officer is the head of CAD. The EDIP reports to the Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees.

The project board follows the open government approach.

First phase: April 2021 to March 2023

In April 2021, the Scottish Government launched the first phase of the EDIP, which comprised a series of projects that were undertaken over a two year period. The first phase of the EDIP aimed to understand barriers to equality data collection, develop good practice guidance and case study examples, and progress data development in priority areas. It also allowed public bodies to input their views of how we can best support the data element of the further roll-out of mainstreaming work in the public sector.

The first phase of the EDIP concluded in March 2023 with the publication of Scotland’s Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025. 

During this phase, the project board:

• supported the design and delivery of projects in the first phase of the programme
• provided strategic input into the development of the next version of the equality evidence strategy and the second phase of the EDIP
• supported join-up with ongoing and upcoming work across the public sector, and contribute to the identification of practice expertise and guidance

Second phase: March 2023 to December 2025

The second phase of the EDIP is focused on implementing the three year programme of work published in Scotland’s Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025, which covers the period March 2023 to December 2025.

The strategy also sets out a refreshed vision based on a range of stakeholder feedback gathered through consultation and engagement events. The vision is:

To tackle structural and intersectional inequality of outcomes, Scotland’s equality evidence base will become more accessible, wide-ranging and robust. A stronger evidence base will enable the development and delivery of sound, inclusive policies and services and enable the measurement of improvements in the lives of all of Scotland’s people.

During this phase, the project board will:

• support the delivery of actions in the second phase of the EDIP, including monitoring progress towards the implementation of the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025
• facilitate the join-up of the EDIP with ongoing and upcoming work to provide feedback and insights on equality data collection in the public sector and barriers faced, including expertise and experience of practical, evidence-based solutions and good practice
• contribute to the identification of sources of practical expertise and guidance in equality data analysis, including facilitating links within their networks to ensure successful delivery
• provide feedback during and following the completion of actions to ensure impacts and lessons learned are shared with lead analysts to inform the delivery of future improvement activity

Members

Current members

• Audrey MacDougall, Chief Social Researcher, Scottish Government (Co-Chair)
• Alastair McAlpine, Chief Statistician, Scottish Government (Co-Chair) 
• Jonathan Wright, Equality and Social Justice Analysis, Scottish Government 
• Beth Cocker, Equality and Social Justice Analysis, Scottish Government
• Molly Halligan, Equality and Social Justice Analysis, Scottish Government 
• David Holmes, Directorate for Chief Economist, Scottish Government
• Amanda Gordon, Head of Strategic Anti Racism and Disability Equality, Equality EIHR
• Nick Cassidy, Improvement Service
• Gill McCrum, Mainstreaming, Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, Scottish Government
• Lesley Crozier, Scottish Council’s Equality Network (SCEN)
• Brianna Fletcher, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Jennifer England, Non-Departmental Public Bodies Equality Forum (NDPB)
• Rishma Maini, Public Health Scotland (PHS) 
• Hannah Telling, Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
• Alison Hosie, Scottish Human Rights Commission
• Shruti Jain, Public Health Scotland
• Simon Cameron, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)

Past members

• Roger Halliday, Chief Statistician, Scottish Government (Co-Chair) 
• Liz Hawkins, Equality and Social Justice Analysis, Scottish Government 
• Jon Hunter, Equality and Social Justice Analysis, Scottish Government 
• Maisy Best, Equality and Social Justice Analysis, Scottish Government
• Sean Stronach/Jess Dolan, Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, Scottish Government 
• Nick Bland, Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, Scottish Government 
• Trevor Owen, Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, Scottish Government 
• Rob Priestley, Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, Scottish Government
• Andrew Fraser, PHS
• Duncan Buchanan, PHS
• James Chappell, PHS
• Shruti Jain, PHS
• Mark McAllister, COSLA
• Alexi Camble, COSLA
• Sarah Munro, EHRC
• John Wilkes, EHRC
• Anna Grant, EHRC
• Steven Reid, NDPB Equality Forum
• Alan White, NDPB Equality Forum
• Jordon Gorevan, Non-Departmental Public Bodies Equality Forum (NDPB)
• Nanjika Nasiiro, Head of Strategic Anti-Racism and National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG), Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, Scottish Government
• Emily Lynch, Improvement Service
• Catherine McMeeken, Deputy Director Equalities, Equality EIHR

Publications

Equality Data Improvement Programme Project Board: terms of reference