Stonewall Workplace Equality Index submission: FOI release

Information requested

1. Please send me your latest submission to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index? Could you also provide the Stonewall response to your submission?

2. Please send me all emails between your staff and Stonewall from 1 Jan 2023 to 1 Jan 2024?

3. Please could you send me a summary of all payments made to Stonewall from 1 Jan 2022 to 1 Jan 2024?

Response

The answer to your first question is that the Scottish Government did not enter the 2024 Workplace Equality Index. Details of our submission to the 2023 index have previously been released under FOI and can be found here: Scottish Government's submission to the 2023 Stonewall Equality Index: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) The feedback report provided by Stonewall is attached.

In response to your second question, I enclose a copy of most of the information you have requested.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information contained within the emails because an exemption under sections 38(1)(b) (personal information) and Section 29(1)(a) (formulation or development of government policy) of FOISA applies to that information.

The exemption under Section 38(b) of FOISA has been applied throughout the documents as there was personal information which is exempt from disclosure. This information included people's names, contact details, and information relating to those people which could allude to their identity.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

The exemption under section 29(1)(a) of FOISA (formulation or development of government policy) applies to some the information requested because it relates to the development of the Scottish Government’s policy on the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in high quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of policies and decisions.

The final version of the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan has been published and is available to view here: Non-binary equality action plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The answer to your third question is that the Scottish Government has provided funding to Stonewall through the Equality and Human Rights Fund. This information is available in the public domain and can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/equality-and-human-rights-fund-projects-funded/ for the years 2021 to 2024.

Additional information on funding payments made to Stonewall between 1 January 2022 and 1 January 2024 is attached.

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.

FOI 202400398318 - Information released - Annex

File type

288 page PDF

File size

5.8 MB