Publication - FOI/EIR release

The historic and current financing of Equality Network Limited (ENL): FOI release

Published: 7 June 2019
Topic: Equality and rights, Public sector
FOI reference: FOI/19/01084
Date received: 18 April 2019
Date responded: 4 June 2019

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Information requested

Information related to to the historic and current financing of Equality Network Limited (ENL) by the Scottish Government and any and all additional funding to organisations and groups related or tied to Trans issues. Subsequent clarification confirmed that you were seeking additional information in relation to Stonewall Scotland and LGBT Youth Scotland.

Response

The information that we are able to provide is attached.
Our aim is to provide information whenever possible. However, in this instance, some of the information you have requested is not held by the Scottish Government. Where we do not hold the information but we think that another body may hold it, we have indicated this within the response. Furthermore, some of the information is already within the public domain; where this is the case, the response seeks to direct you to the source of the information. Finally, some of the information is withheld under Section 38(1)(b) of FOISA as it contains personal details about a third party.

Equality Network and Scottish Trans Alliance
1. What is the total amount of funding the Equality Network Limited (ENL), has received from the Scottish Government (SG) since its creation to date?
We only hold some of the information you have requested. Some of this is available in the public domain, as follows:
 2017-20 funding https://www.gov.scot/publications/equality-national-intermediary-bodies-funding-2017-2020/
 2016-17 funding https://www.gov.scot/publications/equality-funding-2016-2017/
For 2015-16, the Equality Network received 230K. For 2012-15, the Equality Network received £1.354m in funding, which included funding for the Scottish Trans Alliance.

3. What is the total amount of funding the Scottish Transgender Alliance (under its variant names) has received from the SG before this became incorporated as a project (Scottish Trans Alliance Project, STAP) within ENL?
See the answer at question 1. For 2015-16, the Scottish Trans Alliance received 125K.

4. What is the total amount of funding for each of the three projects within ENL from 2000 to date, please totals per project whether directly from the Scottish Government or indirectly via other entities?
a. Are there additional projects that have been funded?
b. And, to what extent have they been funded (2000 to date)?
c. What was their purpose? And, was it achieved?
d. There is funding for ‘Intersex’ DSDs included yet this is not a sexual orientation or gender identity, I would appreciate any background papers on this decision and funding and the purpose, from last years and this.
In addition to funding already mentioned, we provide funding for the Intersex Project. Details of this are available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-19-00819/.

5. Has or does ENL receive public monies through other routes? Other than by direct funding, for example does the Scottish Government pay ENL for training and materials, speaking fees and so on? What has been the total spend to date by category (for what). What is planned spend estimate for 2019/2020?
We do not hold this information. We have not paid the Equality Network to provide training and materials or for speaking fees.
a. James Morton authored Trans guidance for Scottish prisons. What was Morton’s relevant experience? And how was this deliverable agreed and paid for, and by whom?
This is a matter for the Scottish Prison Service. You can contact them at gaolinfo@sps.pnn.gov.uk.

6. How much public funding has/will the ENL receive in total for 2019/2020 from the Scottish Government? And, what is this for?
This information is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/equality-national-intermediary-bodies-funding-2017-2020/.

7. Also, the details of any ring fencing and specific goals or objectives placed on the 2019/2020 funding.
The 2017/20 application for the organisation is attached.
a. Are any requirements placed by the government on staff, for example: qualifications, work experience, complete background checks (not simply disclosures) as they emphasis children and young people on their sites and in statements?
A copy of grant conditions placed upon organisations are attached.
b. Please may I have copies of staff experience and qualifications and/or a copy of the contract for services or funding which would hopefully have specified expected levels of professional qualification, research and analysis experience, general work experience and proven expertise for consultants/consultancy, and others. (I have to date not been able to identify a single degree or scientific/analytical/legal experience for any ENL staff – it cannot simply be they ‘identify as trans’ but they will not confirm or deny).
Information about staffing is contained in the Equality Network and Scottish Transgender Alliance’s applications for 2017 to 2020, which are attached.

8. A copy of Service Level Agreement summaries/high level for 2017/2018, and 2018/2019 and deliverables.
The Scottish Government does not have a Service Level Agreement with the Equality Network.

9. Who approves and signs off ENL funding?
Scottish Government funding is signed off by Scottish Ministers.

10. Who/where is responsible for independent review and assessment and validation of ENL; its performance, deliverables, achievements, safeguarding, expertise, best practice, and so on?
This is for ENL’s board of trustees. In addition, as the Equality Network is a registered charity, regulation issues are under the Office of the Charity Regulator for Scotland. More information on their role can be found at https://www.oscr.org.uk/.
a. Most important who is the individual responsible for reviewing their research output? (About which I have questions.)
b. And if no one is doing so, how is this rationalised and supported?
The Scottish Government is not responsible for ENL. This is a matter for the organisation.

11. Are there year-end review reports or assessments of performance? I would appreciate the most recent.
Annual reports are the responsibility of the organisation. In relation to the Equality Network and the Scottish Trans Alliance, the Scottish Government does not consult formal reviews or assessments of performance in the manner outlined. We do not therefore hold any information in this regard.

12. Who determines value for money?
The Scottish Government considers a range of factors when making decisions on funded projects, including value for money.

13. What is the estimated total cost of the Self-identification Consultation from initiation to date?
There is an estimate of the costs of carrying out, analysing and publishing that consultation at https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-18-03563/, including an estimate of staff salaries of those primarily involved in the preparation and publication of the consultation.

14. What is the estimated total cost of S5M-10159 Gender Representation on Public Boards Act (2018) from initial discussions to being made law?
Estimated costs are included within the Financial Memorandum for the Act, which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/105197.aspx
I then ask for the same or similar information (1-11) for every other organisation of group that the Scottish Government supports fully or in part that focuses on, emphasises or is in anyway tied to Trans issues, services, consultancy and support.
You subsequently clarified that you were looking for information on Stonewall Scotland and LGBT Youth Scotland. Information on Stonewall Scotland is at Annex A and information on LGBT Youth Scotland is at Annex B. Questions 3, 4, and 5a do not appear to be relevant to these organisations. Questions 6, 7a, 8, 9, 10 and 11 for both organisations is the same answer as above.
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Stonewall Scotland
1. What is the total amount of funding Stonewall Scotland has received from the Scottish Government (SG) since its creation to date?
We only hold some of the information you have requested. Some of this is available in the public domain, as follows:
 2017-20 funding https://www.gov.scot/publications/equality-national-intermediary-bodies-funding-2017-2020/
 2016-17 funding https://www.gov.scot/publications/equality-funding-2016-2017/
For 2015-16, Stonewall Scotland received £100K in funding. For 2012-15, Stonewall Scotland received £250K in funding.

5. Has or does Stonewall Scotland receive public monies through other routes? Other than by direct funding, for example does the Scottish Government pay Stonewall Scotland for training and materials, speaking fees and so on? What has been the total spend to date by category (for what). What is planned spend estimate for 2019/2020?
The Scottish Government has been a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions Programme since 2012. In addition, in 2013/14, 2015/16 and 2016/17 we funded Stonewall to deliver in-house their Role Models and Allies programmes. The total costs for membership to 2022 and these programmes is £46,920.

7. Also, the details of any ring fencing and specific goals or objectives placed on the 2019/2020 funding.
The 2017/20 application for the organisation is attached.

7b. Please may I have copies of staff experience and qualifications and/or a copy of the contract for services or funding which would hopefully have specified expected levels of professional qualification, research and analysis experience, general work experience and proven expertise for consultants/consultancy, and others.
Information about staffing is contained Stonewall Scotland’s application for 2017 to 2020, which is attached.

1. What is the total amount of funding LGBT Youth Scotland, has received from the Scottish Government (SG) since its creation to date?
We only hold some of the information you have requested. Some of this is available in the public domain, as follows:
 2017-20 funding https://www.gov.scot/publications/equality-national-intermediary-bodies-funding-2017-2020/
 2016-17 funding https://www.gov.scot/publications/equality-funding-2016-2017/
For 2015-16, LGBT Youth Scotland received 260K in funding. For 2012-15, LGBT Youth Scotland received £780,034 in funding.

2. After staff costs, and basic overheads please what funds have been available each year, and on what have they been spent? I assume there is a high level summary statement per year on monies and deliverables. I do not require bulk prose on goals and objectives etc. thank you just totals, high level tangible achievements and deliveries for each year.
LGBT Youth Scotland submit information on this to Companies House, where it is publically available. Further details can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house.
5. Has or does LGBT Youth Scotland receive public monies through other routes? Other than by direct funding, for example does the Scottish Government pay ENL for training and materials, speaking fees and so on? What has been the total spend to date by category (for what). What is planned spend estimate for 2019/2020?
We do not hold this information. We have not paid LGBT Youth Scotland to provide training and materials or for speaking fees.
7. Also, the details of any ring fencing and specific goals or objectives placed on the 2019/2020 funding.
The 2017/20 application for the organisation is attached.
7b. Please may I have copies of staff experience and qualifications and/or a copy of the contract for services or funding which would hopefully have specified expected levels of professional qualification, research and analysis experience, general work experience and proven expertise for consultants/consultancy, and others.
Information about staffing is contained in the LGBT Youth Scotland’s application for 2017 to 2020, which is attached.

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