Coronavirus (COVID-19) business support: equality impact assessments

Scotland’s Event Recovery Fund

Name of Grant:

Scotland’s Event Recovery Fund (SERF)

Policy Lead

Lucy Carmichael, Major Events and Themed Years Unit Head

Legal power used:

VisitScotland (the body administering this funding) is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB). It is covered by the Scottish Budget, in particular Schedule 1 purpose 8 of the Budget (Scotland) Act 2021 which gives the Scottish Ministers the power to fund tourism.

Funding is delivered through the grant making powers of

• Sections 126 and 127 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. It is made on the basis that the funding is fostering employment as an express purpose as well as stopping areas being blighted by the collapse of employment; and
• ii) Section 23 of the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985 that gives Scottish Ministers authority to make payments to anybody who appears likely to promote the development or understanding of cultural or scientific matters.

Grant Overview:

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the events sector with most businesses closed for an extended period of time. Scotland’s Event Recovery Fund (SERF) has been established to help Scotland’s events sector plan and deliver events through to the end of 2021.

The Fund provides support as the industry responds and adapts to the effects of COVID-19. It aims to help restart the events sector and address additional costs which may be incurred as a result of new hygiene and health and safety requirements. Through this it will allow communities and the public to gain confidence in hosting and attending events^[439].

The Fund is open to applications from event organisers as they respond to the new environment. Its key objectives are to:

• Support the safe delivery of events in Scotland as we move through COVID-19, in accordance with relevant Scottish Government advice and guidelines
• Support innovation in Scotland’s events as they adapt to the “new normal”
• To support the wider economic recovery of the tourism and events industries in Scotland
• To create opportunities for communities and audiences to responsibly engage with events

This is an open fund without fixed application deadlines. It is designed to support innovation and applicants are encouraged to seek viable solutions, pilot new ideas and share best practice while preparing event plans. There will be two routes to funding available:

Route A: Community Events and events with existing funding offers. Awards between £1,000 - £5,000 are available for eligible event organisers in Scotland including smaller scale or community focused events which don’t normally target a tourism market.

Route B: Events targeting tourism markets. Awards between £5,000 - £35,000 are available to larger scale events which can demonstrate alignment with the key impact areas identified our national events strategy, Scotland, the Perfect Stage.

Applicants to both routes will be required to demonstrate that their plans adhere to latest Scottish Government’s Events Sector Guidance, for which a separate equality impact assessment has been published^[440].

Executive Summary:

SERF funding is part of a £4.5 billion funding package that the Scottish Government has committed to support businesses affected by COVID-19. In order to address the needs of many sectors adversely impacted by the pandemic, a range of business support funds were introduced over several months to provide emergency funding to help secure jobs, safeguard businesses and to alleviate hardship.

The SERF funding recognises the massive impact that COVID-19 restrictions are having on the events sector in Scotland, which was worth £6 billion annually to Scotland’s economy. The sector was one of the first to lockdown in March 2020 (when gatherings of 500+ people were restricted) and is expected to be one of the last to fully restart. As well as the almost complete closedown of the domestic events sector, significant international events have been postponed, such as EURO 2020 which was due to be co-hosted in Glasgow in summer 2020. Some activity has moved to broadcast only or online, however, thus far online activity has proved difficult to monetise. There is a long lead in time to plan and prepare for most events, and so to generate revenue. This means that Scottish Government funding of the events sector was absolutely essential to sustain businesses while the sector could not operate and to the help support restart.

It was developed more quickly than is usual for Scottish Government funding schemes, due to the need to provide support urgently to avoid businesses failing due to being unable to restart due to increased COVID-19 costs.

Within this context of needing to react quickly, there was limited opportunity to gather evidence on the possible impacts of these measures ad to engage with stakeholders on this. In developing this fund we engaged with the Events Industry Advisory Group (EIAG). We also drew from existing evidence including the events sector guidance: equality and Fairer Scotland impact assessment. Together this helped us shape the fund in a way which recognises the importance of assessing new and revised policies against the needs of the general equality duty as set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not, and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. The Scottish Government also considered whether the measures could constitute direct and/or indirect discrimination.

The Scottish Government is mindful of the three needs of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) - eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not, and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

We are also mindful that the equality duty is not just about negating or mitigating negative impacts, we also have a positive duty to promote equality. We have sought to do this through provisions contained in the measures or by support and guidance available. For example we have ensured that all applicants required to demonstrate that their plans adhere to latest Scottish Government’s Events Sector Guidance (for which a separate EQIA has been carried out).

Under the event sector guidance, which SERF grant recipients are expected to follow, event organisers should consider individual health circumstances and protected characteristics and discuss these with their workforce before prioritising who is asked to return to work and when. This should recognise the protective measures required to minimise health risks to those at risk or shielded workers or those living with those at risk or shielded households, exploring whenever possible how these staff can work from home. Consideration of health circumstances and protected characteristics should be given to this as part of the risk assessment process that is recommended by the guidance.

The SERF guidance for applicants^[441] for Route B funding sets out that the EventScotland team will take into consideration the following impact areas when assessing applications:

• Opportunities the event offers around outreach, participation, boosting equality outcomes, volunteering and community engagement.

This criteria was intended to advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not, and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

This emergency funding has supported otherwise strong and viable businesses, protecting the business base, jobs and livelihoods helping prepare for a stronger economic recovery in the events sector. This is likely to have a positive impact for people with certain protected characteristics – for example younger people and women. Further information on the equalities impact of this fund are outlined in the Key Findings Section below. It considers impact to people working in the sector and to people attending events.

Key Findings - impact assessment of benefits and/or disadvantages.

The events industry in Scotland as defined by SG assessment of SIC codes comprised 3,830 businesses (IDBR, 2020) and 4,634 individual units (SABS, 2018).^[442] In 2019 it employed approximately 57,000 part-time and full time employees as well as approximately 6,300 self-employed workers (APS, 2019).

Overall we expect that individuals who have protected characteristics who work at or attend events will benefit from SERF funding through more events being able to take (supporting employment) with appropriate risk assessment and implementation of measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 which will allow them to resume safely.

In terms of people with protected characteristics who are most likely to be affected, the Annual Population Survey 2019 found that approximately 51% of the events workforce is under the age of 35 compared to around 35% for Scotland’s workforce as a whole (APS, 2019).^[443] Younger people are also more likely to attend events. The proportion of women working in the events industry is similar to the proportion in the overall workforce – 46.6% and 48.8% respectively. However, for Events Catering Activities, women make up 55.4% of the workforce and for Other Reservation Service and Related Activities they make up 72.9% of the workforce. Therefore funding support could disproportionately positively impact on younger people and women working in the events sector, through an increase in events that are able to take place with appropriate COVID-19 mitigations in place due to SERF funding.

Age: Older People and Children and Young People

Approximately 51% of the events workforce is under the age of 35 compared to around 35% for Scotland’s workforce as a whole. A disproportionately young workforce could result in a heightened risk and impact (in terms of lost lifetime earnings) of unemployment in the industry. Annual Population Survey 2019.

The Scottish Household Survey^[444] figures shows levels of cultural attendance, in 2018, were generally higher among the younger age groups, although there were differences in the types of cultural activities / events attended by younger and older age groups.

Therefore providing support to allow events to take place through SERF funding could generate the following impacts:

• disproportionately positively impact on young people employed in the events sector by enabling people to be employed at these events.
• disproportionately positively impact on young people attending events as these may be more likely to take place due to availability of SERF support.

IPSOS – Tracking the Coronavirus Report^[445], Scotland has found that older people (over 55) are more anxious about returning to events than younger people (under 35). Those who are most worried about the health impact of the virus are most cautious about returning to venues and events. This includes older age groups who are generally most concerned^[446].

In areas where events are permitted, this could potentially have a negative impact on older people due to the risk in community transmission from events taking place, as they are more likely to be seriously affected if they catch coronavirus. However, any negative impact on older people is considered to have reduced due to the rollout of the vacination programme which began with older people^[447].

Sex: Men and Women

The proportion of women working in the events industry is similar to the proportion in the overall workforce- 47% and 49% respectively. However, for Events Catering Activities, women make up 56% of the workforce and for Other Reservation Service and Related Activities they make up 73% of the workforce.

Research has highlighted a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women. Women are more likely to have reduced hours, been made redundant, and been furloughed. Women working from home have had additional responsibilities (childcare and work). Not all women have been affected equally – young and minority ethnic more affected and pregnant women are also significantly impacted. Mothers are 23% more likely than fathers to have lost their jobs (temporarily or permanently) during the current crisis. Of those who were in paid work prior to the lockdown, mothers are 47% more likely than fathers to have permanently lost their job or quit, and they are 14% more likely to have been furloughed.

Therefore providing support to allow events to take place through SERF funding, which will allow people employed at these events to have work, could disproportionately positively impact on women working in Events Catering Activities and women working in Other Reservation Service and Related Activities

Race

With events, and in particular casual labour, Eastern European, African and others have been identified as potentially at risk groups. In terms of participation and attendance, access is in danger of being restricted by COVID-19 due to financial implications and lack of additional resources hitting ethnic minority families hard. According to the Ethnic Minority National Resilience Network (Scotland) which is coordinated by BEMIS Scotland, minority ethnic communities have disproportionate vulnerabilities to COVID-19 exposure. This is represented in both social and health outcomes. For example, due to the immigration status of some minority ethnic individuals it is financially harder to self-isolate because their precarious employment circumstances mean they will not receive furlough pay or state benefits. This means they are more likely to work in low paid and non-unionised work environments where PPE and social distancing regulations are not being appropriately adhered too.

Therefore providing support to allow events to take place through SERF funding, which will allow people employed at these events to have work, could disproportionately positively impact on people from some minority ethnic groups who work on events. Currently we have been unable to source further evidence within this space.

Individual health circumstances and protected characteristics should be considered and discussed with the workforce before prioritising who is asked to return to work and when.

Disability

The top concerns that disabled people have about visiting places as lockdown restrictions lift are: People not respecting and honouring social distancing; not having access to venues’ or public toilets when outside; and having to queue or wait outside venues, especially when weather is bad.^[448]

The events sector COVID-19 guidance which event organisers receiving SERF funding are expected to follow sets out that event organisers should consider whether any of the measures they are implementing could create additional barriers for disabled people and the focus should be on how to overcome these by making reasonable adjustments. This includes matters such as providing hand sanitiser at heights that are accessible for people in wheelchairs, and avoiding facilities such as parking being reduced for disabled people to permit extra queuing / distancing space This is expected to mitigate any potential negative impacts on disabled people.

Individual health circumstances and protected characteristics should be considered and discussed with the workforce before prioritising who is asked to return to work and when.

Religion and Belief

There is no evidence of a differential impact identified at this time

Sexual Orientation

There is no evidence of a differential impact identified at this time

Pregnancy and maternity

Events sector guidance, which SERF recipients are expected to follow, sets out that individual health circumstances and protected characteristics should be considered and discussed with the workforce before prioritising who is asked to return to work and when, including pregnancy and maternity. This should help to address any particular impacts on this group.

Gender reassignment

There is no evidence of a differential impact identified at this time

Marriage or Civil Partnership

There is no evidence of a differential impact identified at this time

Socio-economic disadvantage: any people experiencing poverty

Poverty has higher prevalence across protected characteristics. For example, risk of poverty is much higher for women, disabled people, minority ethnic people, lone parents, and children and young people. We know that work does not fully protect against poverty, with 60% of adults in poverty being in work Poverty and income inequality statistics The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that low earners were seven times more likely than high earners to have worked in a sector that has shut down as a result of the lockdown.^[3]Around 78% of workers in the events sector earn at or above the Living Wage compared with 83% of all Scottish employees.^[449]

Any move to completely cashless events may have a negative impact on people from lower socio-economic who are more likely to use cash. Completely removing paper tickets and moving to smartphones could exclude people without access to this technology or with limited data allowances, which could include people on lower incomes.

The Events Sector Guidance Checklist, which SERF recipients are expected to follow, sets out that event organisers should consider what will happen where people do not have access to contactless payments so that people are not excluded from an event and should consider what will happen where people do not have access to a smart phone or other electronic device so that people are not excluded from an event. This is intended to mitigate potential negative impacts due to socio-economic disadvantage.

Stakeholder Engagement:

The Scottish Government has engaged extensively with businesses and their representative organisations during the pandemic. In the year to March 2021 the Scottish Government had more than 1,270 ministerial engagements with business, including virtual conferences, roundtables and calls.

In developing the SERF funding and Event Sector Guidance (which SERF grant recipients must follow) we spoke to a range of organisations, including the Event Industry Advisory Group^[450] and drew upon feedback from two online surveys of the event industry supply chain conducted by VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.

This included sharing draft funding guidance with representatives of EIAG and specific conversations with representatives to receive their views on the objectives of the fund, and the fund’s suitability in assisting the events sector in its recovery.

This provided an opportunity to listen to stakeholder views, test ideas, share information about progress and discuss and address specific issues identified by sectors and individual businesses.

Mitigations –

The two funding routes within SERF have a requirement for applicants to comply with the Scottish Government’s Event Sector Guidance, which helps to ensure that they will comply with measures designed to promote equalities and mitigate any negative impacts that are built into that guidance as part of its EQIA^[451].

The SERF guidance for applicants^[452] for Route B funding sets out that the EventScotland team will take into consideration the following impact areas when assessing applications:

• Opportunities the event offers around outreach, participation, boosting equality outcomes, volunteering and community engagement.

This criteria was intended to advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not, and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

Each applicant for Route B awards was asked to complete the following set of questions in relation to the Social and Cultural impact area of Scotland’s Events Strategy;

How do you plan to reassure audiences to return to social spaces and how will the event responsibly engage with Scotland’s communities? Be specific about how you plan to encourage responsible/safe engagement and how the event contributes to the wellbeing of communities (including volunteering/participatory opportunities).

Explain any ways the event promotes and supports protection of Scotland’s unique culture and heritage.

Do you have an Accessibility Guide? If ‘YES’, submit a copy to support your application.

In terms of administration by VisitScotland, a key consideration for SERF was accessibility. To help to ensure accessibility VisitScotland ensured that there were multiple channels of communication and submission for the applicant if they has accessibility issues (online and by telephone). VisitScotland published the SERF guidance a week earlier than going live with the application form as this allowed any issues to be reported early and for people who needed longer to prepare, for example due to disability, to do so. Dedicated email contact points were set up and VisitScotland reception redirected any calls to appropriate staff. VisitScotland publicised that a word document of the form was available if required for accessibility reasons and, where required, and we accepted postal applications. All these measures were intended to boost inclusion and ensure that people with a range of protected characteristics could access the funding support.

Next Steps (if any)

The findings of this EQIA will help to aid the design and introduction of possible future schemes, should resources become available.

Declaration and Publication

I have read the Equality Impact Assessment and I am satisfied that it represents a fair and reasonable view of the expected equality impact of the measures implemented.

Signed: Rachael McKechnie

Date: 10 February 2022