Definition of ethnic group and ethnic minority: FOI release

Information requested

1. Scottish Government definition of what constitutes an ethnic group and/or ethnic minority.

2. The process by which an ethnic minority/group is declared in Scotland, and instructions on how to go about that process.

Response

1. The Scottish Government uses the definition of race present in the Equality Act 2010, that it is colour, ethnicity, nationality and citizenship. We recognise that across Scotland, people belonging to minority ethnic communities define themselves and their communities using a variety of terms; our use of the over-arching term minority ethnic aims to be inclusive of that variety.

2. The Scottish Government respects the right of people to identify to whichever ethnic group they so wish to identify as. The Scottish Government does not have a process by which to declare a minority ethnic group in Scotland.

About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.