A fairer Scotland for all: race equality action plan and highlight report 2017-2021
The race equality action plan sets out the key actions for the Scottish Government to drive positive change for minority ethnic communities.
Section 9: General and Cross Cutting Issues
Governance and Co-Ordination
This Action Plan is intended to make a real difference to the lives of minority ethnic people in Scotland. Robust governance and co-ordination is therefore required to ensure that progress is maintained, milestones are met and all who require to do so take responsibility for delivery. In line with Kaliani Lyle's recommendations for enhancing policy co-ordination around race equality, we will establish a Programme Board for the implementation of the Action Plan as detailed below, using programme management methodology to identify, manage and mitigate risk. Further, as recommended by the EHRC, we will take a participatory and inclusive approach to the implementation of the Race Equality Action Plan at local and national level, ensuring the full engagement of statutory and civil society stakeholders.
We will establish a Programme Board to oversee implementation of the Race Equality Action Plan. The Board will meet quarterly, chaired by Paul Johnston, DG Education, Communities & Justice and the SG's senior Race Equality Champion. Membership of the Board will be drawn from across Directorate Generals at Director level.
| Actions |
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| Key Actions |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
| We will have new governance arrangements involving senior officials to ensure co‑ordination and drive on race equality over the lifetime of this action plan. |
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| We will encourage public bodies subject to Ministerial control to identify a senior official with lead responsibility for race equality and to carry out regular reviews on race equality issues. |
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| Working with public sector partners, including COSLA, we will focus on embedding the co‑ordination and delivery of race equality in policy and practice. This will be part of the 2018-19 work-plan of the Scottish National Equality Improvement Project ( SNEIP), including improving data collection and use, reviewing induction and CPD training for staff and sharing examples of innovative workplace practices/positive action. |
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| Jointly with the Scottish Councils Equality Network we will hold a roundtable event in spring 2018 to develop opportunities and practical shared actions for Scottish local authorities to reach the ambitions of the Race Equality Framework and its Action Plan. |
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| We will develop a resource for evidence-based quality criteria for equality training for public sector workers. Working with partners we will have this in place by 2018-19 and encourage its use to the public sector. |
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| Data Collection |
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| Lack of adequate data on ethnicity across a number of areas is a well-known problem in Scotland. The Equality Evidence Finder provides a solid platform from which to build, and the Equality Evidence Strategy sets out the steps we will take to fill the gaps. The Scottish Government decided not to participate in the UK Government's Race Disparity Audit, taking advice from our stakeholders and the Independent Race Equality Adviser that it would not be in the best interests of Scotland to do so. Our actions on Data Collection closely align with those recommended by Ms Lyle, and we agree with her conclusion that, if we develop and improve the existing structures, we can build a joined up system which will meet our data collection and auditing needs in relation to race equality. |
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| Key Actions |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
| We will modernise the Equality Evidence Finder web resource and improve the presentation of our online ethnicity evidence to better meet the needs of its users over the next two years. Over the four year period of the Equality Evidence Strategy, we will prioritise identified gaps, define projects and work with research partners to improve the evidence base on ethnicity. |
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| Public Investment and Procurement |
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| The principle, articulated very clearly by Kaliani Lyle in her report, that the public sector should use its purchasing power to make sure that publicly funded organisations are representative of the communities which they serve, is one with which the Scottish Government fully agrees. The following actions will enable progress to be made on this in relation to race equality, although it is equally relevant across all the protected characteristics. |
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| Key Actions |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
| We will ask enterprise agencies how we can increase the number of businesses who produce pay gap reports and action plans and continue to signpost businesses to the relevant guidance available. |
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| We will review the training and guidance relating to equality and procurement provided to procurement professionals and to suppliers. |
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