Culture strategy for Scotland consultation: analysis of responses - summary

Impact assessments

The consultation paper notes that the draft strategy has been pre-screened as having no or minimal effects on the environment and the relevant information has been submitted to the Consultation Authorities as part of the statutory Strategic Environmental Assessment process. Partial assessments have also been carried out to consider how the draft strategy may impact on equality, the rights and welfare of children, business (including third sector) and regulation.

Question 18: Do you think the partial Equality Impact Assessment has identified where the strategy might impact on people differently depending on characteristics such as age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity?

Question 19: If you have further comments on the Equality Impact Assessment, please provide them below.

Table 7: Question 18 - Do you think the partial Equality Impact Assessment has identified where the strategy might impact on people differently depending on characteristics such as age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity?

	Yes	No	Don’t know	Not answered	Total
Organisations:
Academics, University, Higher Education or Further Education	5		1		6
Culture (arts, cultural heritage, creative industries) organisation, group or company	15	3	17	11	46
Faith Group				2	2
Local Authority or Culture Trust	8	1	3	4	16
National Collections and Performing Companies	2		4	3	9
Public Body	5	1		5	11
Representative or umbrella group	11	1	11	11	34
Third sector	4	1	5	6	16
Union or political party	3		1	2	6
Total organisations	53	7	42	44	146
% of organisations answering	52%	7%	41%
Individuals	25	5	30	9	69
Individual (on behalf of a community)			1		1
Total Individuals	25	5	31	9	70
% of individuals answering	41%	8%	51%
All respondents	78	12	73	53	216
% of all respondents	36%	6%	34%	25%
% of all those answering	48%	7%	45%

* If figures do not sum to 100% this is due to rounding.

Opinion was mixed as to whether the partial Equality Impact Assessment has identified where the draft strategy might impact on people differently depending on characteristics such as age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity. The largest proportion of respondents – 48% of those answering the question – thought it had. However, 45% of those answering the question did not know.

Points made by respondents who thought the partial Equality Impact Assessment had identified where the draft strategy might impact on people differently included that it appears evidence-based and fair.

Further comments included that it will be important for young people and children to have an input and also that it is very important that efforts are made to open up opportunities for a dialogue so that disabled people, including artists, are actively engaged in discussions.

Those who did not know, or who did not think the partial Equality Impact Assessment has identified where the draft strategy might impact on people differently, suggested that insufficient information has been made available to make a judgement. Other comments included that the impact upon linguistic minorities, including British Sign Language users, must be noted and that there is no reference to the Gypsy Traveller community.

Finally, the Equality Impact Assessment’s conclusion that there would be no differential impact on protected characteristic groups was questioned. It was suggested that more detailed evidence could be provided and that the final Equality Impact Assessment should have sections specific to each protected characteristic group, examine available evidence, highlight evidence gaps, and recommend actions that should be taken to ensure all groups, and especially those who are disadvantaged, are able to benefit from the draft strategy.

Question 20: Do you think the partial Children’s Rights and Welfare Impact Assessment sets out how the proposals presented in the strategy might impact on the rights and welfare of children?

Question 21: If you have further comments on the Children’s Rights and Welfare Impact Assessment, please provide them below. For example, what would you add or change?

Table 8: Question 20 - Do you think the partial Children’s Rights and Welfare Impact Assessment sets out how the proposals presented in the strategy might impact on the rights and welfare of children?

	Yes	No	Don’t know	Not answered	Total
Organisations:
Academics, University, Higher Education or Further Education	5		1		6
Culture (arts, cultural heritage, creative industries) organisation, group or company	11	3	20	12	46
Faith Group				2	2
Local Authority or Culture Trust	8	2	2	4	16
National Collections and Performing Companies	2		4	3	9
Public Body	5		1	5	11
Representative or umbrella group	6		16	12	34
Third sector	4		7	5	16
Union or political party	3		1	2	6
Total organisations	44	5	52	45	146
% of organisations answering	44%	5%	51%
Individuals	25	4	30	10	69
Individual (on behalf of a community)			1		1
Total Individuals	25	4	31	10	70
% of individuals answering	42%	7%	52%
All respondents	69	9	83	55	216
% of all respondents	32%	4%	38%	25%
% of all those answering	43%	6%	52%

* If figures do not sum to 100% this is due to rounding.

Opinion was again mixed as to whether the partial Children’s Rights and Welfare Impact Assessment sets out how the proposals presented in the draft strategy might impact on the rights and welfare of children. A small majority of respondents – 52% of those answering the question – did not know, while 43% of those answering thought it did and 6% of those answering thought it did not.

Comments by those who ‘did not know’ included that there is very little information about how the draft strategy might actively promote children’s rights and welfare, for example through early years cultural provision and cultural activities which support life skills, confidence and wider achievement as well as supporting attainment.

Those who thought the Assessment does set out how the proposals presented in the draft strategy might impact on the rights and welfare of children sometimes noted that all children should have easy and early access to a range of culture or that access to a range of culture through education, both formal and informal is a basic right.

Those who did not think the Assessment sets out how the proposals presented in the draft strategy might impact on the rights and welfare of children suggested it is lacking in detail, incomplete or inconclusive.

Question 22: How do you think this strategy might impact upon people on low incomes, people living in deprived areas, people in material deprivation, people with no / or low wealth and people from different socio-economic backgrounds? Please provide comments below.

Many respondents identified positive, or potentially positive, impacts for the groups of people listed, although they sometimes noted that their expectation was based on successful implementation of the draft strategy. The most frequently identified outcome suggested was greater access to, or engagement in, cultural activities.

However, it was also felt that there may be little or potentially no impact, at least initially, and that long-term support and engagement will be required to deliver potential benefits. The difficulties in engaging with disadvantaged groups were also noted, with a suggestion that change will take a long time. The need for more specific targets or tangible actions than currently laid out was also suggested, along with a proposal that the draft strategy could include regional priorities to reflect local factors.

Amongst the actions identified as necessary for positive impacts to be realised were listening to the views of the people in these communities and addressing issues of cultural confidence.

Greater involvement for local authorities and the voluntary sector was also proposed, with a suggestion that they are under-represented in the draft strategy. Providing opportunities for third sector bodies to be involved in procurement of cultural programmes was seen as having the potential to bring future investment, while it was also argued that funding processes should be modified to make it easier for disadvantaged groups to apply.

Question 23: Do you think the partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment identifies how the proposals presented in the Strategy might impact on businesses, the third (voluntary) sector or have any regulatory impact?

Question 24: If you have further comments on the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment, please provide them below. For example, what would you add or change?

Table 9: Question 23 - Do you think the partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment identifies how the proposals presented in the Strategy might impact on businesses, the third (voluntary) sector or have any regulatory impact?

	Yes	No	Don’t know	Not answered	Total
Organisations:
Academics, University, Higher Education or Further Education	5		1		6
Culture (arts, cultural heritage, creative industries) organisation, group or company	9	2	21	14	46
Faith Group				2	2
Local Authority or Culture Trust	7		5	4	16
National Collections and Performing Companies	1		5	3	9
Public Body	4	1	1	5	11
Representative or umbrella group	2		19	13	34
Third sector	3	1	7	5	16
Union or political party	2		2	2	6
Total organisations	33	4	61	48	146
% of organisations answering	34%	4%	62%
Individuals	21	6	31	11	69
Individual (on behalf of a community)			1		1
Total Individuals	21	6	32	11	70
% of individuals answering	36%	10%	54%
All respondents	54	10	93	59	216
% of all respondents	25%	5%	43%	27%
% of all those answering	34%	6%	60%

* If figures do not sum to 100% this is due to rounding.

A majority of respondents - 60% of those answering the question - did not know if the partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment identifies how the proposals presented in the draft strategy might impact on businesses, the third (voluntary) sector or have any regulatory impact. Of the remaining respondents, 34% of those answering thought it did and the remaining 6% of those answering thought it did not.

Only a small number of respondents went on to make a further comment, with those comments tending to be brief. They included that there should be greater recognition of the contribution and role of the voluntary sector in cultural provision and opportunity will impact greatly on that sector.

There was a query as to whether it is appropriate to have a single assessment that covers both the private and third sectors.