Heat in buildings strategy: equality impact assessment

The Scope of the EQIA

35. After the completion of Stage 1, the Scottish Government is of the view that an EqIA is required.

36. At Stage 2, the Scottish Government considered evidence about the potential impacts on people in regards to the following characteristics:

• Age
• Disability
• Sex
• Gender reassignment
• Sexual orientation
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Pregnancy and Maternity

37. A public consultation on the draft Heat in Buildings Strategy commenced in February 2021 and ran for 12 weeks. 178 respondents submitted a response, providing an invaluable resource to support ongoing policy development.

38. Online consultation events were held with stakeholders invited from a range of representatives from various sectors including environmental and energy sector, local authorities, social landlord representative bodies, advice and information bodies, stakeholder groups and the construction sector. Organisations that represented people with one or more of the protected characteristics we made aware of the consultation.

39. The consultation document included a specific question to establish whether any of the proposals set out in the Strategy could unfairly discriminate against any person in Scotland who shares a protected characteristics (age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief). There were 74 responses to this question.

40. Evidence was also gathered via a social research project, a Broad Evidence Review on the likely equality implications of heat decarbonisation in buildings for consumers in Scotland. This paper considered each of the protected characteristics and has informed the EqIA.

41. The Scottish Government has also gathered qualitative and quantitative data from:

• National Statistics: Scottish Household Survey, 2019
• National Statistics: Population Estimates by Urban Rural Classification
• National Statistics: Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2017-20
• National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2020
• Legislation: The Fuel Poverty (Enhanced Heating) Scotland Regulations 2020 – Draft
• Evidence Reviews: Liddell & Morris, 2010; Marmot Review Team 2011
• Qualitative Study: Ipsos MORI, 2020
• Quantitative Study: Somerville et al., 2000
• Qualitative Study: Mould & Baker, 2017
• Evidence Review: Karjalainen, 2011
• Qualitative Study: Melone, 2019
• Charity: Tommy's Pregnancy Hub
• Survey: The Scottish LGBT Equality Report 2015
• UK Survey: National LGBT Survey 2019
• National Statistics: Scottish Surveys Core Questions 2019
• Evidence Review: Sexual Orientation in Scotland 2017 (using Scottish Surveys Core Questions 2015)
• National Statistics: Scottish Surveys Core Questions 2019
• National Statistics: 2011 Census
• Evidence Review: Is Scotland Fairer? 2018