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CHAPTER 9 - GATHERING INFORMATION AND MAKING USE OF INFORMATION

Scottish Executive Analytical Services Divisions

9.1 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.

9.2 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 focussed evidence base which includes economic appraisal, research, evaluation and statistical analysis.

Delivering the duty: the importance of evidence

9.3 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".

9.4 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 gender equality and to take forward the gender equality duty, we need to ensure that public policy properly reflects the needs, experiences and views of women and men. As such, it is important that the information, research and data that we collect takes gender equality issues into account.

9.5 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.

9.6 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.

9.7 We also recognise that the gender equality duty requires us to gather and analyse information in order to develop our gender equality scheme and our departmental action plans and to review the effectiveness of those action plans.

9.8 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 collection 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 gender equality scheme and to inform the development of future schemes.

9.9 The achievement of these objectives will be crucial in underpinning the effective discharge of the gender 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

9.10. We see the EQIA (see chapter 5) process as the bedrock of the duty. It is through this process that gender equality and positive outcomes for women and men will be considered and addressed in everything we do. EQIAs are undertaken on new and developing policies. 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 women or men. In conducting EQIAs, robust information on gender 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

9.11 We are developing a framework for data collection, analysis and use which will involve all analytical divisions across the Executive.

9.12 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 Commission 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 gender:

• the Scottish Executive needs to identify core data requirements;
• progress on gender equality needs to be measured over time by collecting better outcomes data;
• improve accessibility to data that shows gender inequality exists; and
• compare service provision for men and women across all policy areas.

9.13 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 gender. The following steps have been taken to help departments work towards this goal:

Briefing Sessions and Guidance for Analysts

9.14 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 gender 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 gender, 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 men and women;
• improved data which tells us more about the experiences, needs and views of men and women can be used to help to challenge and re-shape policy; and
• information gathering must be linked to gender equality action planning and, in particular, for reviewing the effectiveness of action plans.

9.15 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 gender 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

9.16 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 gender duty, in addition to the race and disability duties.

Linking Information Gathering to Action Planning

9.17 We recognise the importance of gathering information to inform action plans. Our gender 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 women and men.

Central support, expertise and coordination

9.18 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.

9.19 The Scottish Executive has designed and developed the following resources and publications to make existing information on equalities issues, including gender issues, more accessible to Scottish Executive officials, and to help analysts interpret and use relevant data on equalities issues within their area of interest .

A Gender Audit of Statistics: Comparing the Position of Women and Men in Scotland

9.20 The disaggregation of data by gender is now standard practice in the majority of mainstream publications. The real challenge is how to make data accessible and easier to interpret for users. To address this issue, the Scottish Executive commissioned the Gender Audit of Statistics, the most comprehensive analysis to date of currently available gender disaggregated statistics, and, where relevant, key research reports and reviews, for Scotland. This report contains a wide range of statistical data which indicates the comparative position of women and men in Scotland, including changes over time, and provides commentary interpreting these data. The report also provides guidance on other sources of data and how these data can be used in the development of gender equality schemes. The views of users on their experiences of using such statistics have also been sought, in order to gain an insight into the issues for future collection and analysis of gender data.

High Level Summary of Equalities Statistics

9.21 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 gender 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 web-site. The information contained in the HLSES will be made available by topic and by equality dimensions, depending on users' requirements.

The "Portal to Resources and Information on Mainstreaming Equalities" ( PRIME)

9.22 PRIME 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 gender (and other equalities groups) within policy areas.

Long term strategy for improving data

9.23 There is a distinct need to improve the collection and analysis of equalities data, particularly in terms of the kinds of data that is collected on the differing needs, views and experiences of women and men. 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.

Data comparing social groups

9.24 If we are to address inequality effectively, we need to understand more about issues of multiple discrimination and the complex inter-linkages between gender and other equalities strands such as age, disability and ethnicity. There are often considerable methodological difficulties involved in producing data on multiple discrimination, particularly in relation to ethnicity, because of small sample sizes. However, where feasible, we should undertake to disaggregate and analyse data which combines gender and other equality strands. The Gender Audit of Statistics described above includes analysis of data on gender and ethnicity and gender and disability, where such data is available.

9.25 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 gender, disability 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 gender across Scottish Executive surveys.

Exploring Various Methodologies

9.26 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

9.27 The SHS questionnaire structure and content has undergone a recent review. 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 gender, disability, age, race, faith or sexual orientation.

Specific action by ASDs across the Executive

9.28 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 works with 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.

Analytical Services Group ( ASG)

• Procurement
  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 gender issues have been considered as part of the tendering/contract process.

• Business Planning
  ASG currently considers equality issues across all areas in its annual business planning process, and will bring the issue of the gender 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

9.29 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 gender 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 9.16. This group will work with individual departmental ASDs to evaluate departmental actions plans. The Group will report on this work in spring 2010 in order to inform the development of the next gender equality scheme.

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