Scottish Budget 2023-24: equality and Fairer Scotland statement

Summary of impacts by budget area

This section summarises the impacts of the budget by Scottish Government portfolio. For more detail see Annex D.

Constitution, External Affairs & Culture

Budget purpose:

Enhance Scotland's reputation, increase prosperity and wellbeing, and promote Scotland as a great place to live, visit, work, study, and do business.

Primary national outcomes:

• Communities
• Culture
• International

Key human rights:

• Right to take part in cultural life
• Right to freedom of expression
• Right to an adequate standard of living

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

Reducing inequality and ensuring all groups are able to participate in, enjoy and access careers in our diverse culture, heritage and events sectors is at the heart of the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture portfolio. Our culture and heritage investment aims to protect and support our public bodies and organisations across Scotland. The budget enables funded organisations to deliver an active programme of cultural activity and events that take into account the preferences and circumstances of groups who experience structural disadvantage, and those from lower income groups. Examples include the work of our national performing companies in ensuring improved access and inclusion for disadvantaged and low income groups.

In 2022-23, the International Development Fund increased from £10 million to £11.5 million in line with the 2021 Programme for Government commitment to increase the fund to £15 million over the course of this Parliament. On the new Women and Girls Empowerment Fund within the new Equalities Programme, we will refocus £500,000 of the budget on promoting equality of women and girls, and supporting their rights. Through establishing a Global Citizenship Fund as part of the future programme we will provide more funding directly in-country to smaller, local civil society organisations.

Deputy First Minister & COVID Recovery

Budget purpose:

Support the delivery of the COVID Recovery Strategy, establish and support the COVID-19 Scottish Public Inquiry, co-ordinate policy on elections, freedom of information, inter-governmental relations, Cabinet business and the legislative programme, build Scotland's resilience to hazards and threats, and support participation and public service reform.

Primary national outcomes:

• Communities
• Human Rights

Key human rights:

• Right to free elections
• Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
• Right to freedom of expression
• Right to an adequate standard of living
• Right to non-discrimination in the exercise of all of these rights

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

The portfolio co-ordinates and provides grant resource to partners to build capacity to support delivery of the Covid Recovery Strategy, which commits us to a strong equality led approach. The terms of reference for the independent Scottish public inquiry into the handling of COVID-19 require it to demonstrate how a human rights based approach has contributed to its findings in facts and recommendations.

A further key area of spend is on improving equality of participation in elections, working with partners in the electoral community to increase voter registration and active participation in elections by underrepresented groups, including young people and non UK citizens. This spend will also be used to undertake field trials of tactile ballot papers designed to enable people with sight loss to vote independently and in secret.

The Central Analysis Division will contribute evidence and data informing policy and delivery across the work of the portfolio in 2023-24, including for wellbeing and resilience, cost of living and Ukrainian displaced persons, all with a strong equality focus.

Education & Skills

Budget purpose:

Change children and young people's lives for the better in and beyond educational settings and ensure that all children and young people are able to reach their full potential.

Primary national outcomes:

• Education
• Children and Young People
• Economy
• Poverty

Key human rights:

• Right to education
• Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
• Right to an adequate standard of living
• Right to take part in cultural life

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

Advancing equality and reducing inequality is at the heart of investment in Education and Skills. Spend within the Education and Skills portfolio is targeted to tackle the differences in development and attainment levels for children and young people with protected characteristics or experiencing socio‑economic disadvantage.

Continued funding for the expanded statutory entitlement to funded early learning and childcare will maximise the opportunity to ensure that all children in Scotland get the best possible start in life. Continued investment in the delivery of the Scottish Attainment Challenge, the expansion of free school meals and school clothing grants will ensure that the progress made in embedding the principle of equity in schools and will continue to maximise the life chances of children and young people from the most deprived backgrounds. The Higher Education Student Support budget will continue to provide bursaries, student loans and free tuition – supporting young people and adult learners to access educational opportunities and entry to future employment.

Investment in our tertiary education and skills system will provide lifelong learning opportunities linked to the future needs of the economy.

Finance & the Economy

Budget purpose:

Support sectors and businesses in their transition out of the pandemic into recovery. Support and strengthen the labour market, promote fair work practices and investment in a diverse workforce, and support investment in low carbon businesses and infrastructure. Co-ordinate an outcomes-focused approach including the focus set out in the NPF, and set public pay, pension and tax policy.

Primary national outcomes:

• Economy
• International
• Fair Work & Business
• Environment

Key human rights:

• Right to work (and to work in just and favourable conditions)
• Right to an adequate standard of living
• Rights for women, minority ethnic groups, disabled people, children
• Right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
• Right to freedom from forced and compulsory labour
• Right to respect for private and family life

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation sets out our vision for a wellbeing economy: a society that is thriving across economic, social and environmental dimensions, and that delivers prosperity for all Scotland's people and places. Advancing equality and reducing inequality is at the heart of the portfolio's objectives.

The commitments set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation are intended to drive Scotland's overall economic prosperity to the benefit of all our people. However, just as every person is an individual with individual characteristics and circumstances, their experiences of economic activity and the impacts that Scotland's economy has on their lives are different. We have targeted the actions proposed in the Strategy towards people with protected characteristics and people experiencing poverty. Targeting and taking a person-centred approach to considering policies and their implementation can help address entrenched inequality and cumulative impacts on people, particularly those who experience disadvantage.

We will pursue a more equal and fairer Scotland when delivering core Scottish Government functions such as the Scottish Budget and will continue to use our powers over Income Tax in a progressive manner, raising vital revenue to help fund high quality public services for all.

Health and Social Care

Budget purpose:

Improve population health and tackle health inequality.

Primary national outcomes:

• Health
• Children and Young People
• Human Rights

Key human rights:

• Right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
• Right to an adequate standard of living
• Right to a healthy environment
• Right to benefit from healthy ecosystems that sustain human wellbeing
• Right to access to information

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

The cost of living crisis is causing profound hardship for many in our society meaning this year's Budget is required to identify additional resources to support those hardest hit and ensure we deliver a balanced budget. This will have an impact on the portfolio's ability to increase the levels of positive impact on behalf of those from protected characteristic groups. However, despite repurposing some spending, the Health and Social Care portfolio budget will, overall, support people with protected characteristics and/or those experiencing socio‑economic disadvantage. The portfolio budget may also mitigate existing inequalities. Spending on mental health, tackling alcohol, drugs, tobacco and obesity and workforce will likely have a demonstrable impact in tackling inequalities and improving the population's health. Human rights and equality will be at the core of National Care Service development.

We will ensure access to person-centred and trauma-informed services which can flex to meet the range of needs that any one individual might have. Alongside this, we fund condition and circumstance specific support based on need. To support our work we fund a range of groups which enable us to draw on equalities expertise and lived experience from across the population to support policy development and service design.

Justice & Veterans

Budget purpose:

Keep our communities safe and secure, support veterans, and manage justice in its different forms: civil, criminal and administrative.

Primary national outcomes:

• Communities
• Human Rights

Key human rights:

• Right to liberty and security of person
• Right to a fair trial
• Right to freedom from punishment without law

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

The portfolio remains committed to advancing equality and addressing the causes of inequality, including tackling all forms of gender inequality such as violence against women and girls. It helps to create an inclusive and respectful society in which all people and communities live in safety and security. Through our funding of justice partners, we are investing in a range of system-wide measures to prevent crime, reduce re-offending and ensuring an effective system of civil law, as well as supporting victims and witnesses of crime. Over 80% (£2.7 billion) of the portfolio's budget is allocated to justice partners, who are required under the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Fairer Scotland Duty, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between groups of people with shared protected characteristics when taking strategic decisions.

Net Zero, Energy & Transport

Budget purpose:

Make sure that Scotland's economy achieves net zero carbon emissions. Protect and enhance our environment, natural resources and transport infrastructure. Support public transport, roads, accessible transport and active travel and lead on strategic infrastructure planning.

Primary national outcomes:

• Economy
• Poverty
• Children and Young People
• Environment

Key human rights:

• Right to an adequate standard of living
• Right to a healthy environment
• Right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

The impact of climate change will not be felt equally and has direct links to poverty and inequality. That is why the Scottish Government is committed to a Just Transition to deliver Net Zero and a climate resilient nation. Key equalities issues for the portfolio focus on public transport and domestic energy.
Public transport services are important for and used more frequently by particular groups of people; women, older people, younger people and those on lower incomes use bus services more. The provision of public transport services continue to be challenging as a result of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis is also exacerbating issues faced by those on low incomes. By continuing to invest in public transport we will ensure that those reliant on public transport can continue to access key services, employment and education. Improving access to public transport and reducing car use underscores our commitment to a Just Transition.

Domestic energy costs and fuel poverty are also likely to disproportionately affect those on lower incomes and particular groups such as disabled people, older people, and lone parents. Our Heat in Buildings Strategy commits us to a set of guiding principles that give a direction for programme and policy development recognising the twin challenges of decarbonising and tackling fuel poverty. We are continuing to design, assess and target interventions that seek to support people to heat their homes.

Rural Affairs & Islands

Budget purpose:

Support rural, island and coastal communities in Scotland, as well as Scottish Government's overarching ambition to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.

Primary national outcomes:

• Economy
• Environment
• Communities

Key human rights:

• Right to property
• Right to an adequate standard of living
• Right to take part in cultural life
• Right to a healthy environment

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

Rural and coastal communities face a range of challenges including access to services, higher living costs and population change. The RAI portfolio addresses issues around rural disadvantage through supporting traditional rural industries and through direct funding to community groups to support rural development across Scotland. Most spend in these areas is not directly focused on reducing inequality for groups with protected characteristics or those from the most socio-economically deprived groups. However, there are specific schemes for supporting women in agriculture and aquaculture.

The Scottish Government has committed to creating equality of opportunity within agriculture and to ensuring the sector is more diverse and representative. Agricultural support schemes help to support wider rural communities and businesses and ensure a productive landscape. Research is planned to help us understand the impact of changes to agricultural support payments in rural areas and the role of local food economies in creating an affordable and sustainable national food system. However, unfortunately, there is little evidence on the direct and indirect impacts of the RAI budget on groups with protected characteristics and, aside from age and gender, there is little available data.

Social Justice, Housing & Local Government

Budget purpose:

Create a fairer Scotland, tackle poverty and especially child poverty, deliver affordable housing, and promote equality and human rights.

Primary national outcomes:

• Communities
• Human Rights
• Poverty
• Children & Young People

Key human rights:

• Right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence
• Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
• Right to an adequate standard of living
• Right to a healthy environment
• Right to social security and social protection
• Right to non-discrimination

Impact on Equality & Fairer Scotland:

We are committing over £5.2 billion in benefits expenditure, providing support to over one million people in Scotland. We will continue progress "Best Start, Bright Futures" with our £50 million commitment over the lifetime of the plan and our £5 million investment in 2023-24 will contribute towards meeting the interim statutory targets. We focus on priority family types, including minority ethnic families, single parent families and families where a member has a disability.

£3.5 billion investment this parliament in increased supply of affordable and social homes, will support those facing socioeconomic disadvantage. Up to £11 million capital investment supports older and disabled housing association tenants to make adaptations to their homes.

Core funding for Local Government is distributed using a needs-based formula which includes, disadvantage, age, disability and levels of deprivation.

The Equality and Human Rights Fund provides £8 million per annum to support organisations to deliver direct work tackling inequality and discrimination; infrastructure support and policy work, across Human rights and also in areas of protected characteristics for example age, disability, gender, sexual orientation and race.