Lantra Skills Matching Service: equality impact assessment

Of the total number of occupiers and spouses on farms, crofts and smallholdings, only 9.5% are under 41, whilst 34% are over 64.

There is therefore an inequality and lack of representation of younger people in the industry.

In 2018/19, of 16 -19 years olds, 16 year olds had the highest participation rate in education, employment and training of 99.0% compared to 19 year olds who had the lowest participation rate of 83.9%.

Agricultural Census Data (RESAS)

SG Equality Evidence finder

http://www.equalityevidence.scot/

The SMS Service will ensure that it is fully accessible, regardless of connectivity or IT skill level. Whilst the primary means of engagement is online, a helpline number will be provided that people can use to gain support, and it should be possible for details to also be taken in this way.

Age will be recorded in bands on the SMS form, but will not be provided to the employer unless there is a commitment to interview.

The unemployment rate for disabled people (aged 16-64) in Scotland was 9.4% in 2018, compared with an unemployment rate of 3.6% for non-disabled people.

in 2018, almost half of disabled people (16-64 years) in Scotland were economically inactive (49.7%), compared with 15.9% of non-disabled people.

SG Equality Evidence finder

http://www.equalityevidence.scot/

As above, where individuals might experience challenges in completing the form, they will be able to obtain help through email or phone.

Any restrictions that an employer should be aware of will be recorded in the SMS, but will not be provided to the employer unless there is a commitment to interview. The text on the website is an Easy Read format and a simple video will explain how the service works. The service has been made as accessible as possible in the time frame available.

The Agricultural Census shows that 42% of all working occupiers and spouses on Scottish farms are women but that only 7% are the principal farmer.

Women are under-represented at all levels of the agricultural industry. https://www.gov.scot/publications/women-farming-agriculture-sector/

86.9 per cent of men in employment are in full time employment compared to 57.5 per cent of women.

The Gender pay gap in Scotland (women earn less) is 7.1%

Women do the majority of unpaid care for children, older people, sick people and disabled people; and Women are twice as likely to give up paid work in order to care.

SG Equality Evidence finder

http://www.equalityevidence.scot/

Close the Gap, 2020 / Engender 2020

Sex will neither be recorded on the SMS, or provided to the employer, with the name only passed on when there is a commitment to interview.

In 2005, the Equal Opportunities Commission conducted a formal investigation into pregnancy and maternity related discrimination. This pre-dates the reform of equality legislation in Great Britain, in the Equality Acts of 2006 and 2010. This inquiry reported that "almost half" of all pregnant women experience "some form of disadvantage at work, simply for being pregnant or taking maternity leave. 30,000 are forced out of their jobs" (p.4). This same report highlighted the potential loss in earnings for women returning to work, from between five percent and 14% for women on lower incomes, and that 1 in 5 women returning to work after maternity leave were placed on a lower level of job^.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-equality-outcomes-pregnancy-maternity-evidence-review/pages/5/

Due to restrictions around pregnancy and COVID19, anyone in this category should be linked to the appropriate health advice around shielding

Very limited data available on trans people in the UK.

Estimated to be in the region of 1% of the population.

• Almost one in five LGBT staff (18 per cent) have been the target of negative comments or conduct from work colleagues in the last year because they're LGBT.
• One in eight trans people (12 per cent) have been physically attacked by customers or colleagues in the last year because of being trans.

Almost a third of non-binary people (31 per cent) and one in five trans people (18 per cent) don't feel able to wear work attire representing their gender expression.

Stonewall

LGBT in Britain Work Report, 2018

https://www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbt-britain-work-report

Not recorded within the SMS as beyond the scope of the service.

In 2018, people who identified as 'LGB and other' were twice as likely to be unemployed compared to those who identified as 'heterosexual' (4.0 percent versus 2.0 per cent). It is important to note that a higher proportion of those identifying as 'LGB and other' were in the age groups 16-24 and 25-34, which were also the age groups where unemployment was higher. Therefore, the statistical inequality may be more about age than sexual orientation.

Not recorded within the SMS as beyond the scope of the service.

The employment rate for the Minority Ethnic population aged 16 to 64 was 59.3 per cent. This is lower than the rate for white British/Scottish population (75.7 per cent) giving a gap in employment rates between minority ethnic and white of 16.4 percentage points.

• The white British/Scottish population has consistently had an employment rate that exceeds the Minority Ethnic population. The Minority Ethnic employment gap was much higher for women than men. For women the gap was 22.0 percentage points and for men it was 9.5 percentage points. The gap in the employment rate for the Minority Ethnic population was largest for ages 16 to 24 (26.1 percentage points); followed by ages 25 to 34 (25.3 percentage points), ages 35 to 49 (15.0 percentage points), and ages 50 to 64 (3.1 percentage points).

There are approximately 7,000 Seasonal workers employed in Scottish Agriculture every year – many of whom come from Eastern European countries.

• APS 2019

The SMS will offer equal opportunities to applicants, regardless of ethnicity. Staff are trained in assessing applications on the basis of skills and having had unconscious bias training, are aware of the issues around making unconscious judgements about people's names.

There is currently a lack of data regarding ethnicity within the agricultural industry, however there are plans to include a question on this in the next Agricultural Census.

Faith Community Members (In Scotland):
Buddhist 12,795
Christian 2,850,199
Hindu 16,379
Jewish 5,887
Muslim 76,737
Sikh 9,055
Other 15,248

2011 Census

Not recorded within the SMS as beyond the scope of the service.

In Scottish Agriculture as a whole:

• 83 % of full-time and part-time working spouses are women

Excluding crofts and smallholdings:

• 91% of farm spouses are women

Agricultural Census data (RESAS)

Not recorded within the SMS as beyond the scope of the service.