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chapter eleven gathering information and making use of information
Scottish Executive Analytical Services Divisions
11.1 Research and evidence helps us to think about new and better ways of doing what we do and it also provides new insights, understandings and discoveries that are to the benefit of Scotland. The Executive funds a wide range of research activity which both contributes to the knowledge base of Scotland, the UK and internationally and helps us to inform and assess Scottish Executive policies.
11.2 All of the main Scottish Executive Departments have a dedicated Analytical Services Division (or ASD), which provides integrated analytical support from social researchers, statisticians and economists. The presence of these divisions across the Scottish Executive means that departments are able to develop and resource a relevant and focused evidence base which includes economic appraisal, research, evaluation and statistical analysis.
Delivering the duty: the importance of evidence
11.3 The Scottish Executive is committed to the development and implementation of good quality public policies which are based on sound evidence (or data) obtained from a variety of sources such as new and existing research, information, statistics, and stakeholder consultation with those with the interest, knowledge, expertise and relevant experience of the issues in question. We refer to this as 'evidence-based policy making'.
11.4 The people of Scotland are not one homogenous group; we have different needs, experiences and expectations and it would be wrong to assume, as we are developing our policies, that 'one size fits all'. Our broader commitment to the equality agenda means that we aim to take account of the diversity of people in Scotland as far as we are able with a view to continuously improving our understanding of the complex interaction between people's needs, views and experiences. In order to build upon our own commitment to disability equality and to take forward the disability equality duty, we need to ensure that public policy properly reflects the needs, experiences and views of disabled people. As such, it is important that the information, research and data that we collect takes disability equality issues into account.
11.5 We recognise the importance of continually improving the quality of our evidence, particularly in terms of equality data. In particular, we understand the need to provide a comprehensive picture of the experiences of equalities groups and explore where differences between social groups may be due to disadvantage arising from inequality of opportunity and/or discrimination.
11.6 This type of evidence should be used to inform and justify public policy decision making, actions and outcomes, and help to guide us in the identification and development of the appropriate adjustments and interventions that can help address inequalities.
11.7 We also recognise that the disability equality duty requires us to gather and analyse information in order to develop disability equality action plans and to review the effectiveness of those action plans.
11.8 To meet this end, the Scottish Executive ( ASDs) are committed to a programme of work that will take forward a series of actions to achieve the following aims:
- improve information collections on equalities groups where gaps are identified;
- increase the availability, accessibility, and quality of data;
- maximise the use of evidence in helping to identify and evaluate policies and action which will achieve greater equality and to help us to guard against potential adverse impacts of policy on social groups;
- ensure that data is used effectively and systematically to evidence outcomes; and
- ensure that evidence/data will be used effectively and systematically as part of the process of reviewing the effectiveness of the disability equality scheme and to inform the development of future schemes.
11.9 The achievement of these objectives will be crucial in underpinning the effective discharge of the disability equality duty and the review and implementation of future schemes by the Scottish Executive. Further, this work will directly underpin the effective implementation of the following parts of the legislation.
Equality Impact Assessments
11.10 We see the Equality Impact Assessment ( EQIA) process as the bedrock of the duty. It is through this process that disability equality and positive outcomes for disabled people will be considered and addressed in everything we do. EQIAs are undertaken on new and developing policy. We will also be looking at our existing policies and prioritising those areas over the lifetime of this, and subsequent schemes, in order to ensure that what we do does not lead to negative outcomes for disabled people. In conducting EQIAs, robust information on disability will help Scottish Executive officials to identify where they may need to adjust individual policies and strategies in order to address disadvantage and achieve greater equality in the delivery and implementation of their work.
Delivering the duty: an Executive-wide framework for data collection, analysis and use
11.11 We are developing a framework for data collection, analysis and use which will involve all analytical divisions across the Executive.
11.12 In September 2006, a number of senior analysts and the Scottish Executive Equality Unit met with the Disability Rights Commission, Commission for Racial Equality and Equal Opportunities Committee to discuss the core analytical requirements. It was acknowledged that there are very real challenges in generating disaggregated data, particularly for race, but the Commissions identified several priorities, including the following, for disability:
- the Scottish Executive needs to identify core data requirements;
- progress on disability equality needs to be measured over time by collecting better outcomes data; and
- some definitions used to measure disability should be more focused on the barriers people experience, for example making transitions between education and employment, rather than the nature of the disability.
11.13 It was agreed that Scottish Executive departments should set out their arrangements for a systematic approach to the effective collection and dissemination of data on disability. The following steps have been taken to help departments work towards this goal:
Briefing Sessions and Guidance for Analysts
11.14 The first step has been to raise awareness of the role of evidence in meeting our obligations. To this end we have run targeted briefing sessions with economists, statisticians and researchers drawn from departments across the Executive. The purpose of these sessions has been to help all government analysts understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to the implementation of and compliance with the disability equality duty (and other equality duties) and to enable analysts to prepare and plan for the types of activity they will need to undertake. During the briefing sessions it was emphasised that:
- analytical work with respect to disability, and other equality dimensions, fits squarely within the evidence-based policy agenda;
- monitoring and data collection are not an end in themselves - information needs to be put to use so that we are able to achieve improved outcomes for disabled people;
- improved data which tells us more about the experiences, needs and views of disabled people can be used to help to challenge and re-shape policy; and
- information gathering must to linked to disability equality action planning and, in particular, for reviewing the effectiveness of action plans.
11.15 We followed these briefing sessions by issuing guidance to analysts. In this guidance we have detailed the steps analysts will need to take to support policy decisions in relation to disability equality. Analysts are expected to:
- work collaboratively with policy colleagues to conduct EQIAs;
- find ways of defining objectives and measuring progress on their achievement - including identifying indicators; and
- build equalities analytical activity into the business planning process.
Equalities Public Duties Analysts Group
11.16 To address more specific issues around definitions, data collection and use of evidence/data, a working group has been set up with membership drawn from across the analytical services divisions to offer practical support and advice to other analysts. It is envisaged that this group will also work in partnership with the Scottish Executive's Equality Unit, the existing equality Commissions and with the Commission for Equality and Human Rights ( CEHR) when it is formally established, to develop a framework for systematic collection and reporting in respect to the core requirements of the disability duty, in addition to the race and gender duties.
Linking Information Gathering to Action Planning
11.17 We recognise the importance of gathering information to inform action plans. Our disability equality scheme contains departmental action plans for Scottish Executive departments and some agencies. Departmental ASDs will focus on assisting departments to gather information in relation to the actions identified in their departmental action plans. This will include information to inform EQIA and policy development as well as systems for monitoring and recording in order to understand the effectiveness of policies and the outcomes for disabled people.
Central support, expertise and coordination
11.18 Although the ultimate aim is to mainstream equalities analysis across the Scottish Executive, there has been an increase in the demand for authoritative and expert advice on the most appropriate methods of collecting data, and for statistical resources that can provide accessible, user-friendly information on the different equalities groups.
11.19 The Scottish Executive has designed and developed the following resources and publications to make existing information on equalities issues, including disability issues, more accessible to Scottish Executive officials, and to help analysts interpret and use relevant data on equalities issues within their area of interest.
The 'Portal to Resources and Information on Mainstreaming Equalities' ( PRIME)
11.20PRIME is the recently re-launched Scottish Executive website which was formally known as the Mainstreaming Equality Website. The website has been updated and refreshed, and is now called 'The Portal to Resources and Information on Mainstreaming Equalities' or PRIME. This website pulls together links to a wide range of research and statistical evidence across a full range of equality and policy areas, and is designed to help colleagues review and strengthen the evidence relevant to disability (and other equalities groups) within policy areas.
High Level Summary of Equalities Statistics
11.21 The High Level Summary of Equality Statistics ( HLSES) was published in November 2006. This presents statistical trends on the main areas of government activity in Scotland, and is broken down by the following equality dimensions: age, disability, ethnicity, gender and, in some cases, religion. The material contained within the report may help policy makers identify high level indicators to measure whether we are achieving disability equality. The publication is also designed to provide users with information/ access on a wide range of data sources in relation to information on the above equality dimensions and will be made available as a hard copy and on a newly designed Scottish Executive statistics website. The information contained in the HLSES will be made available by topic and by equality dimensions, depending on users' requirements.
Social Focus on Disability (2004)
11.22 The 2004 Social Focus Publication released explores the characteristics and position of disabled people in Scotland. It collates high level material from a range of survey and data sources and present statistics on a broad range of policy areas, including demography, housing, education, health and care, income and benefits, and transport.
Long-term strategy for improving data
11.23 There is a distinct need to improve the collection and analysis of equalities data, particularly in terms of the kinds of data that are collected on the needs, views and experiences of disabled people. All national surveys now break down data by the equalities strands and more work is being done by various departments to link mainstreaming concerns with data collection and analysis issues. Examples of how we intend to improve the collection and analysis of data are discussed below.
Disability definitions
11.24 In 2006, The Disability Rights Commission produced guidance setting out three separate disability questions which public authorities would wish to consider, depending on the outcome required. In 2007, the Executive will continue to work with the Disability Rights Commission (and the CEHR after Autumn 2007) to explore ways to further standardise definitions of disability used in its data collections.
11.25 We also recognise the need to broaden our understanding of the term 'disability' beyond a medical model, i.e. to take a social approach to understanding how we can make progress in achieving disability equality. As part of our approach, we have commissioned a comprehensive programme of research on how people with communication support needs experience the justice system, employment, education, health, and housing services. It is anticipated that subsequent stages of the communication support needs initiative will involve consultation with people with a range of impairments/support needs about their perceptions of services and barriers to accessing those services. Analysts from the Executive are also participating in the advisory group for the proposed longitudinal disability survey of Great Britain currently being developed by the Office of Disability Issues (within the Department of Work and Pensions), in order to ensure that useful information on the experience of disability is provided for Scotland.
11.26 In addition, we recognise that it will sometimes be important to monitor the impact of policies on disabled people with different impairment types - the way in which wheelchair users experience a service or are affected by policy making may be very different from the way in which deaf people are affected.
11.27 It will also be important to collect data which will inform the promotion of more positive attitudes towards disability. To this end, the most recent cycle of the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, the results of which are due to be published in February-April 2007, will look at attitudes towards people with both physical and learning disabilities. This will provide us with baseline information on people's perceptions of disability and give us an insight into some of the attitudinal barriers faced by disabled people.
Data comparing social groups
11.28 If we are to address inequality effectively, we need to use data that are able to compare and contrast the experiences and views of disabled men and women with those of non-disabled people, and avoid focusing too narrowly on women or disabled people as isolated groups. Where sample sizes permit, we should also understand more about the complex interlinkages between gender, poverty, race, age, etc.
11.29 Although there are technical challenges involved in breaking down information on groups that are statistically small in number, we are making progress on finding solutions to these challenges by undertaking work to integrate its five core surveys. Each survey would include a core set of harmonised questions which is likely to include disability, gender and ethnicity. The aim of this approach is that it opens up the possibility of combining samples to increase numbers. The Scottish Household Survey ( SHS) will now be used as a starting point to harmonise response categories relating to disability across Scottish Executive surveys.
Exploring Various Methodologies
11.30 We are also exploring whether the use of different methods, such as standalone, issue-focused surveys would provide additional supplementary quantitative information to the larger national surveys.
Scottish Household Survey
11.31 The SHS questionnaire structure and content has undergone a recent review. It has been agreed that the number of respondents asked whether they have a disability/long-term illness should be increased. This should increase the reliability of data analysed by disability in the long term. A new question has been added to the questionnaire which asks respondents about experiences of verbal or physical abuse within their communities because of their disability, gender, age, race, faith or sexual orientation.
Specific action by ASDs across the Executive
11.32 Individual departments have been taking strides towards improving data collection as part of their existing data collection cycles to meet current and future information needs. The Development Department: ASD has a dedicated equalities research team which supports the Equality Unit and other Executive departments to support the delivery of mainstreaming equality and research, evaluation and analysis on specific equality areas. Other departments, however, have also been taking forward equalities related work. We will report on this in our equality report to be published in January 2007.
Analytical Services Group ( ASG)
- Accessibility of internet sites
As a good deal of dissemination is undertaken via the web and procurement is undertaken through e-tendering, ASG will ensure that its internet sites are fully accessible so that visually impaired people are not disadvantaged.
The procurement process places a duty on contractors to consider equality issues in the conduct of research and ASG are putting in place monitoring arrangements to ensure that disability issues have been considered as part of the tendering/contract process.
ASG currently considers equality issues across all areas in its annual business planning process, and will bring the issue of the disability duty regarding newly commissioned consultations to policy customers' attention through the Consultation Registration Evaluation system ( CRES).
- ASG business plans and proposed Strategy for Analytical Services are committed to strengthening engagement with stakeholders on the production and use of analysis, which will help to ensure that the needs of equality groups are addressed.
- The equalities agenda is embedded in the ASG business plan and the divisions that make up ASG. Business plans are regularly monitored and progress checked against milestones. Monitoring of compliance with equalities duties will be an indicator checked with each review. However, business plans are viewed as live documents so any achievements or failings in complying with equality duties will be highlighted as best practice or rectified through remedial action.
Our arrangements for using information to review progress
11.33 As well as developing systems which enable us to gather information we recognise the need to use that information in order to review the effectiveness of our disability equality scheme, in particular departmental action plans, and to inform the development of future schemes. This task will be undertaken by the Equalities Public Duties Analysts Group, mentioned at para 11.16 above. This group will work with individual departmental ASDs to evaluate departmental actions plans. The Group will report on this work in summer 2009 in order to inform the development of the next disability equality scheme.
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