Scottish Government Disability Equality Scheme 2008-11

Description	Scottish Government Disability Equality Scheme 2008-11
ISBN	(Web Only)
Official Print Publication Date
Website Publication Date	May 21, 2008

DISABILITY EQUALITY SCHEME 2008-2011

MINISTERIAL FOREWORD

I am delighted to introduce the Scottish Government's disability equality scheme 2008-11.

Scotland should be a place where all of its people are treated fairly and have the opportunity to fulfil their potential in all aspects of their lives. We know for many disabled people in Scotland that this vision is not yet a reality.

Too often disabled people face barriers and discrimination that deny them equal access to information, education, health services, work and the opportunity and choice to live independently. The Scottish Government is committed to creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish. However, if we are to achieve this objective we need to ensure that the frameworks and the policies which we develop take account of disabled people's needs and experiences and address the barriers that prevent equality.

I believe the duty to promote disability equality helps us and the wider public sector to deliver the changes that are needed to make real improvements to disabled people's lives. The duty is an instrument to drive both institutional and cultural change. It ensures that public organisations systematically consider the impact of all their policies and services on disabled people and are active in finding ways to remove disadvantage and discrimination.

This revised Scheme sets out how, as an organisation, we intend to meet our disability equality duty over the next three years. It outlines the actions we intend to take to ensure that our policies, practices and services take into account the needs of disabled people. Our scheme also highlights the important role that disabled people have in shaping our policy development so that real improvements can be made to their lives.

We know that achieving equality for disabled people will not be easy, but we are committed to continuing to take forward this challenge and creating an inclusive, fairer and just Scotland that we can rightfully be proud to live in.

NICOLA STURGEON, MSP

CABINET SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING

MAY 2008

CONTENTS

Chapter 1	Introduction to the Disability Equality Scheme	4
Chapter 2	Scottish Government Approach to Disability Equality	8
Chapter 3	Involvement of Disabled People in the Development of the Scheme	11
Chapter 4	Disability Equality Impact Assessment	18
Chapter 5	The Scottish Government as an Employer	21
Chapter 6	Procurement	33
Chapter 7	Gathering Information and Making Use of Information	35
Chapter 8	Cross Government Commitment to Delivering the General Duty	58
Chapter 9	Directorate and Agency Action Plans	60
	Finance and Sustainable Growth Directorates Enterprise, Economy and Tourism Planning and Environmental Appeals Directorate for the Built Environment Public Service Reform Finance Procurement Economic Strategy Scottish Development International Climate Change and Water Industry Transport Agencies Transport Scotland	61 63 68 71 75 81 83 85 87 89 92 99
	Health and Wellbeing Directorates Chief Nursing Officer Chief Medical Officer Health Finance Health Workforce Healthcare Policy and Strategy Primary and Community Care Public Health and Wellbeing Housing and Regeneration Agencies Mental Health Tribunal Scotland	106 108 112 114 120 124 136 148 157 170
	Education and Lifelong Learning Directorates Schools Children Young People and Social care Lifelong Learning Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser Agencies HMIE Social Work Inspection Agency Students Awards Agency for Scotland	174 176 187 191 203 205 212 226
	Justice Directorates Police and Community Safety Criminal Justice Constitution, Law and Courts Scottish Government Legal Directorate Office of the Scottish Parliamentary Counsel	231 233 238 244 249 251
	Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service	253
	Environment and Rural Affairs Directorates Rural Marine Greener Scotland Rural and Environmental Research and Analysis Rural Payments and Inspection Environmental Quality Agencies Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency Fisheries Research Service	256 258 261 265 269 270 272 275 279
	Europe, External Affairs and Culture	284
	Administration Directorates Change and Corporate Services Communications Strategy and Ministerial Support	290 291 305 308
Annex A	Useful documents, reports and websites	310

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION TO THE DISABILITY EQUALITY SCHEME

Background

1.1 Our work on equality encompasses age, disability, gender, race, religion and sexual orientation (often referred to as 6 strands). Our approach is shaped by legislation and by the strategic commitment to mainstreaming which lies at the heart of the Scottish Government's Equality Strategy. By 'mainstreaming' we mean integrating equality into the everyday work of Government. Commitments to consultation, developing research and statistics, and awareness raising underpin the mainstreaming approach.

1.2 Significant progress has been made in tackling discrimination and promoting equal opportunities through a number of routes including:

legislation introduced through the Scottish Parliament;
improving data, information and research;
increasing consultation and dialogue with equality groups;
raising awareness of equality through campaigns such as 'See Me' campaign

The legal context - a move towards promotion of equality

1.3 The legislative landscape on equality has changed significantly in recent years. Following the move to a proactive race equality duty established by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, two further statutory duties have been introduced through the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and the Equality Act 2006. Public bodies are now required to promote equality of opportunity in relation to race, disability and gender. All three of these duties require key public bodies to publish schemes setting out what they will do to promote equality.

1.4 Following the change of Government in May 2007 and consequent changes to the structure and policy approach of the Scottish Government, we have revised and updated our disability equality scheme. This document is the Scottish Government's disability equality scheme for the period from May 2008 - May 2011.

Coverage of the Scottish Government's disability equality scheme

1.5 The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. It is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, housing, environment and rural affairs, and transport. The work of the Scottish Government is carried out by Directorates and agencies. The Scottish Government's disability equality scheme covers all Scottish Government Directorates and agencies (other than those listed at paragraph 1.7).

1.6 Agencies are established by Ministers as part of the Scottish Government to carry out a discrete area of work. Current Scottish Government agencies are:

Accountant in Bankruptcy	Scottish Court Services
Fisheries Research Service	Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
Historic Scotland	Scottish Prison Service
HM Inspectorate of Education	Scottish Public Pensions Agency
Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland	Social Work Inspection Agency
National Archives of Scotland	Student Awards Agency for Scotland
Registers of Scotland	Transport Scotland
Scottish Agricultural Science Agency	The Scottish Housing Regulator

1.7 The National Archives of Scotland and the Registers of Scotland are Scottish Government agencies which also have the duty placed on them directly and must produce their own scheme. The Scottish Prison Service and Scottish Courts Service are Scottish Government agencies that have chosen to publish their own associate schemes rather than be included within this document. Links to these agencies' websites are at Annex A.

1.8 Non-Ministerial Directorates and agencies are directorates and agencies of a government that are not headed by a Minister and answer directly to legislature. These are not covered by the Scottish Government's disability equality scheme.

General Register Office for Scotland

Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)

1.9 Public Bodies are not covered by the Scottish Government's scheme. These can be defined as bodies which have a role in the processes of national Government, but are not part of Government, and which accordingly operate to a greater or lesser extent at arm's length from Ministers. Many public bodies are known in Government circles as 'Non-departmental Public Bodies' (NDPBs). This term covers a wide and diverse range of organisations of varying size and responsibilities. Scottish Government NDPBs are normally established by statute such as an Act of Parliament or Royal Charter and carry out administrative, commercial, Scottish Government or regulatory functions on behalf of Government. They employ their own staff, who are not civil servants, and are responsible for managing their own budgets. Many NDPBs are themselves covered by the disability equality duty and have produced their own disability equality schemes.

Our approach to the disability equality scheme

1.10 The Scottish Government is a large organisation with a complex structure, delivering services and exercising functions which cover a vast range of issues which impact upon all the people of Scotland. We made early contact with national disability organisations and had initial discussions on how best to involve disabled people in the development of our disability equality scheme and this is discussed in more detail in chapter 3. This section focuses on the internal structures which we established to help us develop a strategic approach to disability equality and to producing our disability equality scheme.

1.11 Our internal approach to implementing the duty was led by the Equality Unit and started with the establishment of our Equality Scheme Implementation Group (ESIG) in April 2006. This group included officials from across the Scottish Government and its agencies and provided an oversight of our activities. In addition, to enable us to take forward our work plan and timetable for the implementation of the public sector equality duties effectively, we established a network of contacts across directorates and agencies. Officials in this network were involved in the dissemination of information across the organisation and the co-ordination of action.

1.12 Working with ESIG, the Equality Unit developed guidance on the disability equality duty, developed an Equality Impact Assessment Tool and put in place a system to allow directorates and agencies to provide strategic, co-ordinated input to the content of the scheme. We also delivered a programme of briefing sessions for senior management, business planning officials and other key advisers. This has been followed up with briefing sessions for staff across the Scottish Government on the new public duties and the Equality Impact Assessment Tool.

1.13 Scottish Government officials also engaged with the Disability Rights Commission during 2006 in determining our approach to the scheme and in the preparation of DRC guidance for the Scottish Government which was published in early 2007.

Structure of the disability equality scheme

1.14 Our disability equality scheme contains 10 chapters, structured as follows:

chapters 1 and 2 introduce the scheme and set it in the context of the Scottish Government's approach to disability equality;
chapter 3 discusses how disabled people have been involved in the development of the scheme and our plans for developing this;
chapter 4 describes our approach to disability equality impact assessment;
chapters 5, 6, and 7 set out Scottish Government corporate functions and describe how we will take forward disability equality in these areas, including information gathering; and
chapter 8 contains directorate and agency action plans setting out how the policy work of Government will deliver the disability equality duty;
an Annex referring to other documents and websites is included at the end.

Annual reporting

1.15 The disability equality duty requires the Scottish Government to report annually on the progress which we are making to promote disability equality. We published our first annual report on 3 December 2007 and our next annual report will be in December 2007.

Comments

1.16 We are keen to engage and involve those who are affected by our work on disability equality or those who have an interest in it. We would like to know what you think about our disability equality scheme, and how we are making progress, and will give serious consideration to how you think we could do things better.

1.17 We would therefore welcome your comments on this Scheme. Please send them by e-mail to equality.unit@scotland.gsi.gov.uk; or by post to Graeme Bryce, Scottish Government, Equality Unit, Area 2-G, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ.

CHAPTER 2 - SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO DISABILITY EQUALITY

Background

2.1 The Scottish Government's stated purpose is to focus the Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. This will be achieved through five strategic objectives and a suite of national outcomes. Progress on outcomes will be measured through national indicators and targets.

2.2 A number of the national outcomes relate to disability equality work.

We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society.
We have strong, resilient and supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others.
We live in well-designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the amenities and services we need.
We have improved the life chances for children, young people and families at risk.
Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

Mainstreaming

2.3 Since 2000 the Scottish Government has been pushing forward activities to embed equality, including disability equality, into all its activities and in 2005 gave this work a particular focus with the establishment of a Mainstreaming team within the Scottish Government's Equality Unit. The focus of their work has been to encourage thinking across Government about equality issues in the development of policies and programmes and to ensure that the systems of the Scottish Government are geared to supporting staff in this. Some examples of the progress which has been made are:

Equality issues, including disability, are incorporated into the Better Policy Making guidance available to staff;
Updated guidance on equalities is provided to bill teams and an equality clause is considered for all Scottish Government bills;
The Good Consultation Guide was reviewed for its equality content;
Equalities is included in the guidance for public bodies on Best Value;
Business planning guidance for Scottish Government directorates and agencies highlights the need to consider equality issues; and
The guidance on preparation of the Scottish Government's draft budget requests information on equality.

Consultation and communication

2.4 The duty sets a framework to help us deliver better dialogue and communication mechanisms and to go further to involve disabled people in Scottish Government policy making. Since 2002 we have been supporting 2 national grassroots disability organisations to develop networks and structures with disability communities across Scotland. Our funding for Inclusion Scotland and the Scottish Disability Equality Forum has helped us to reach and engage directly with disabled people. The disability equality duty gives an opportunity to strengthen the way that we work with disabled people and this is discussed further in chapter 4. We remain committed to working with national disability led organisations.

2.5 We also have direct links and close working relations with key service providers in the disability sector who in turn have networks of disabled people. We have been keen to engage their experience and have valued their work with us.

2.6 Several directorates have fostered strong links with disability communities and will be seeking to maintain and broaden these links in the period ahead. Parts of Government which have not traditionally had much contact with disabled groups directly recognise the value of doing so and a programme of work will be undertaken to assist them.

Developing research and statistics

2.7 Developing the information base in relation to disability has also been a key strand of our work. We published the Social Focus on Disability in August 2004 and a report on High Level equality statistics in November 2006. Our plans for developing this work further are discussed at chapter 9.

Looking ahead

Cross Government work

2.8 The Scottish Government is a large and complex organisation. To ensure cohesion and consistency in our approach to disability equality a number of cross Government structures exist. These include the Equality Scheme Implementation Group, an Analysts working group, and an advisory group for the Scottish Ministers' reports (see paragraph 2.13 below).

Public Sector Equality Forum

2.9 The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to work with the ehrc, disabled people and public authorities in Scotland to encourage and support the implementation of the disability equality duty. As part of this we plan to establish a Public Sector Equality Forum and will use this as a route to promote shared or joint approaches by public authorities. This Forum will be able to consider the issues arising from all three public equality duties.

Scottish Ministers duty

2.10 The specific duties set out in the Disability Discrimination (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Regulations 2005 require the Scottish Ministers to publish reports by 1 December 2008 (and every 3 years thereafter) giving an overview on progress towards equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people made by public authorities. The duty will also require Ministers to set out proposals for the co-ordination of action by public authorities to progress disability equality.

The Concordat with COSLA

2.11 The concordat agreed between the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) sets out the new relationship between the Scottish Government and local government and accepts that although the Scottish Government will set policy direction, it will stand back from micro-managing service delivery. Single Outcome Agreements are a major part of the concordat and free up local authorities and their partners to meet the varying local needs across Scotland. Local authorities are expected to set out their contribution to each National Outcome, and national outcome 7 states 'we have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society'.

2.12 Joint Guidance produced by the Scottish Government, COSLA, the Improvement Service, the Society Of Local Authority Chief Executives and Audit Scotland was issued in February 2007. Under the section on scope, councils are advised to set out their duties in relation to equalities.

CHAPTER 3 - INVOLVEMENT OF DISABLED PEOPLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCHEME

Background

3.1 The Scottish Government has long recognised that the involvement of disabled people is key to delivering disability equality and to developing our scheme. We also recognised that finding a mechanism for this involvement would be challenging.

3.2 We approached the involvement of disabled people in a number of ways. We wanted to build on existing relationships with disabled people and disability organisations that have been influencing Scottish Government policy for a number of years. However, we also recognised the importance of reaching beyond existing relationships and involving disabled people who have not in the past engaged with Government.

3.3 Taking account of a broad range of views on disability, including the views of disabled people from rural communities, minority ethnic communities and young people was also important to us; and reaching disabled people with a broad range of impairments was another significant consideration. This presented particular challenges and we are committed to further developing our work on involvement.

Our approach to involvement

3.4 Our approach to involving disabled people in the development of the disability equality scheme has therefore followed a number of routes:

· A strategic disability working group;

· Direct engagement with national grassroots disability organisations and, through them, disabled people;

· Harnessing the expertise of our own disabled staff and those in the wider civil service;

· Building on existing relationships with disabled people across directorates and agencies and working in partnership to develop policies; and

Looking ahead at ways of supporting meaningful involvement across the Scottish Government during the life of the scheme.

Strategic disability working group

3.5 The disability working group was established at the request of Scottish Ministers at the end of 2004. It reported in November 2006. The membership of the group included organisations of and for disabled people as well as a number of other public sector organisations including Scottish Enterprise and CoSLA. Many of the individuals who participated were disabled people.

3.6 The remit of the group was to 'establish priorities for the Scottish Government and partner organisations to promote equality for disabled people in Scotland'. One of the strands of work undertaken by the group was specifically in relation to the disability equality duty and a number of specific recommendations were made on this. However, all of the group's recommendations contribute to how the Scottish Government is responding to the new duty.

3.7 The Disability Working Group's recommendations were published in November 2006 and informed our first disability equality scheme, published in December 2006. The group's recommendations have also influenced the revision of the scheme and have helped to set actions for the period from May 2008-2011.

3.8 Although helpful, we recognised that the disability working group did not represent a full or effective involvement of disabled people in the development of the Scottish Government's disability equality scheme. We therefore sought to complement the group's input and report with a range of actions working directly with disabled people in order to reach a broader field of views and to focus more specifically on the scheme itself.

Work with national grassroots disability organisations

3.9 The Scottish Government has been supporting 2 national grassroots disability organisations since 2002 - Inclusion Scotland and the Scottish Disability Equality Forum. This has included providing funding for these organisations to reach disabled people and local disability groups across the country.

3.10 Both organisations arranged events for the Scottish Government to meet directly with disabled people to discuss the disability equality duty and the development of the Scottish Government's first disability equality scheme. These events took place in September 2006.

3.11 The Scottish Government has also been working with the Scottish Council on Deafness (SCoD) on a range of actions to support people who are Deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing. SCoD also organised an event for us to engage with these communities in September 2006.

3.12 A further meeting with disabled people then took place in November 2006 to look in more detail at the shape of the Scottish Government scheme and further prioritise action. Our events with disabled people were called 'Get Involved'.

3.13 What disabled people told us in late 2006 is still relevant and still important. We did not wish to lose the valuable input that we received and have used the material gathered through our 'Get Involved' events to inform the revision of the scheme.

3.14 However, we also undertook further involvement work, again through national grassroots disability organisations. We worked with the Scottish Disability Equality Forum to hold an event on 5 March 2008, with Inclusion Scotland on 10 March 2008, and with the Scottish Council on Deafness on 13 March. Through these events we provided disabled people with an opportunity to have their say on any issue important to them; and we also asked for specific input in relation to areas where involvement of disabled people had been weak in our first scheme.

Work with disabled staff

3.15 The Scottish Government has an active staff disability network. This was set up following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. In order to benefit from the knowledge and experience of our disabled staff we held an event with them on 23 June 2006 to discuss the disability equality duty and the development of the Scottish Government's first disability equality scheme. In addition, a proforma was sent out to the network inviting members to submit written answers to a number of questions about the development of the Scottish Government's scheme. Staff were invited to contribute their views as employees on staff employment matters and, as disabled people, on broader disability equality issues.

3.16 For our 2008 revision of the scheme we wanted to build on the expertise of our staff disability network and reach a greater number of staff. We therefore used a questionnaire which we issued to all staff who had declared themselves to be disabled on our e-HR system. The questionnaire covered a range of issues related to the working environment and experiences of disabled staff, including future involvement, and the responses will be analysed and appropriate action taken.

Existing relationships which shape policy

3.17 The Scottish Government has, for many years, been working with disabled people across directorates and agencies to help to inform policy. Examples include Fair for All: Disability (which informed health policy) and the disabled students stakeholders group. There are many other groups, structures and relationships and some of these are mentioned in the action plans later in this document.

The outcome of involvement - influencing the scheme

3.18 The Scottish Government recognises the importance of responding to disabled people's views. In developing our scheme, we used the outcome of our engagement with disabled people to influence the style, structure and content of the scheme and, crucially, to shape priorities for action.

Strategic Disability Working Group

3.19 The disability working group has directly shaped Scottish Government policy making. The group made recommendations for action to help to deliver the disability equality duty and the Scottish Government will fund this activity over the life of the current scheme (2008-2011). The Scottish Government's full response to the group's report was published alongside the report in November 2006.

Work with national grassroots disability organisations

3.20 We worked with national grassroots disability organisations to run our 'Get Involved' events in autumn 2006 and March 2007. Reports of the issues raised at these events were issued to Scottish Government directorates and agencies along with guidance on developing their action plans. Directorates and agencies were asked to use this material to help them identify policy priorities. The outcome of this is reflected in the action plans which include activity prioritised by disabled people.

3.21 Disabled people attending the 'Get Involved' events also identified a range of strategic priorities which would be essential for an effective delivery of the disability equality scheme. These priorities are very similar to some of those identified by the disability working group.

3.22 These strategic priorities identified by disabled people include:

Disability Equality Training
Accessible Communication
Awareness, Media and Imagery

3.23 The Scottish Government will deliver a programme of work over the next 3 years in relation to each of these.

Action on strategic priorities identified by disabled people

Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Outcome
Disability Equality Training (DET)	Establish a reference group including disabled people to consider standards, accreditation, and availability	Equality Unit	Summer 2008
	Roll out a programme of DET for Scottish Government staff	Equality Unit, Corporate Learning Services, individual directorates and agencies	Ongoing	Staff have increased understanding of disability equality and can implement public duty.
Accessible communication	Implement and promote the Scottish Accessible Information Forum's standards	All directorates and agencies	Ongoing
Media, Images and Awareness of Disability	Directorates and agencies are made aware of UK Government advice that 1 in 5 graphics should be of disabled people	All directorates and agencies	Ongoing	Images used by the Scottish Government properly reflect the contribution of disabled people and challenge stereotypes.
	Widen the use of media to promote awareness including consideration of Scottish wide campaign	Equality Unit	Autumn 2008	Improved understanding of, and attitudes towards, disabled people

Work with disabled staff

3.24 In developing the scheme, the issues raised by disabled staff centre around three areas: the working environment; promoting positive attitudes and being involved in HR decision making. We have considered all of the individual points raised and it was good to note that many of the specific points raised had already been actioned by the Scottish Government, or were in hand, although, clearly, there was still more work to be done.

3.25 Changes had already been made to the reasonable adjustment process and to the physical environment, including facilities for breaks from the work area, which are provided in most buildings. Further work is continuing to ensure that all of our IT systems are compatible with the assistive technology used by staff and increasing numbers of staff have been provided with equipment to allow them to carry out their duties effectively. A dedicated diversity trainer has been appointed and we are continuing to raise awareness of flexible working opportunities through a variety of mechanisms..

3.26 A programme of internal outreach and awareness raising is ongoing and some information has already been provided to staff on specific disabilities, both through lunchtime seminars and our diversity intranet pages. This work will continue and ongoing engagement will take place with disabled staff to ensure that that we are providing the information and advice that they require. We will also continue to use Saltire as our main method of communication with staff through a range of articles and features. A number of specific issues highlighted by individual staff members still require to be addressed and we will progress these as quickly as we are able. .

3.27 Since its inception, the Scottish Government's Diversity Team has had a mutually beneficial relationship with the staff Disability Network and its members. The Network has acted as a sounding board for a range of HR policies, influencing both the content of the policies and providing inspiration for future action areas. This role has both directly and indirectly influenced the scheme, in setting past priorities and in highlighting those that still need to be addressed. Steps have now been taken to ensure that all of our under-represented groups, including disabled staff, are actively included in our HR policy review process. We also have an external disabled person with a significant depth of experience in disability issues as a member of our Diversity Forum to bring an additional perspective to the Scottish Government's diversity agenda and have developed closer links with the Civil Service Disability Network and Diversity Practitioners' Network to share best practice.

Existing relationships which shape policy

3.28 Many directorates and agencies have existing relationships with disabled people through advisory groups, committees and events. Some of these relationships have helped to shape the content of the disability equality scheme. For example, Fair for All - Disability, the Health directorates' strategic partnership with the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), has worked with disabled people and NHS staff to develop a shared vision that improved access to health provision for disabled people cannot be led by legislation alone. This work has shaped the Health directorates' contributions to the disability equality scheme.

Reviewing involvement and moving forward

3.29 Involvement means more than consultation. It means taking a new approach that reflects disabled people's priorities in setting agendas. If involvement is meaningful it will empower disabled people and policy makers alike. While we have made a good start, we recognise that our approach has not delivered effective and meaningful involvement in a consistent way to inform all directorate and other actions plans.

3.30 We will develop the involvement of disabled people during the life of the scheme by:

· Supporting disability-led organisations

3.31 We already support a number of national disability-led organisations such as Inclusion Scotland, the Scottish Disability Equality Forum, the Scottish Council on Deafness and the Communication Forum Scotland, to help develop the capacity of their members to engage with the Scottish Government and other public bodies. We are keen to look at ways that we can further support disabled people and their organisations so that they can engage effectively with us.

· working with the British Sign Language (BSL) and Linguistic Access Working Group

3.32 Our BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group has been meeting since 2000 and is now supported by a BSL and Linguistic Access project manager, based in the Equality Unit. The project manager we have appointed has extensive experience in the deaf field and is responsible for driving the work of the group forward, including delivering a 'roadmap' for improving linguistic access across the Scottish Government by summer 2007. The group is made up of organisations representing Deaf BSL users, as well as people who are hard of hearing, deafened and deafblind, many of whom do not sign but who use other forms of communication.

· supporting involvement of disabled people in the work of Scottish Government directorates and agencies

3.33 The Equality Unit is looking at different ways to support directorates and agencies to involve disabled people in their work. And we have identified the need to ensure that the effective involvement of disabled people and other equality groups is strengthened and maintained in the long term.

Action to develop the involvement of disabled people during the life span of the scheme.

Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Outcome
Support disability led organisations.	Work with disabled people to commission research to map the disability sector.	Equality Unit.	Project started April 2008, to complete by March 2009.	This will increase our understanding of the capacity of disability organisations to engage with public bodies.
Build the capacity of disabled people and support their involvement in implementation of the disability equality duty.	Equality Unit.	During 2008-2011	Better involvement of disabled people in the delivery of the public sector disability equality duty.
Involving a wider range of disabled people.	Ensure that options for developing involvement include wide range of disabilities.	Equality Unit	During 2008	Wider engagement, including with disabled people from minority ethnic communities.
Strategic support across Scottish Government directorates and agencies.	Support the involvement of disabled people across directorates and agencies.	Equality Unit and all directorates and agencies.	Ongoing	Stronger involvement in departmental action planning.

CHAPTER 4 - DISABILITY EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Background

4.1 Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) is a tool for mainstreaming. It is a mechanism for the thorough and systematic analysis of a policy, to be used at the time of reviewing an existing policy, changing an existing policy or developing a new policy. The primary function of the EQIA is to determine the extent of differential impact upon the relevant groups, and in turn whether that impact is adverse, i.e. whether it has a negative impact on groups or individuals in relation to one or more of the equality strands. The equality strands are:

Age
Disability
Gender
Race
Religion or Belief
Sexual Orientation

The Scottish Government's approach to EQIA

4.2 The Scottish Government's approach to EQIA covers all 6 equality strands. If it is decided that the policy could fail to meet the needs of specific groups or has discriminatory outcomes, the policy developer must consider alternatives. These alternatives should consider ways in which the policy can more effectively achieve the promotion of equality of opportunity or any measures that should be employed to mitigate the adverse impact.

4.3 An EQIA will be considered for the full range of the Scottish Government's activities, strategies, functions, policies, legislation and processes.

4.4 Our EQIA was developed in-house and benefited from discussions with external organisations with knowledge of equality impact assessment methods including the Disability Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equality Network and others.

The Scottish Government's EQIA toolkit, guidance and training

4.5 We have developed an EQIA toolkit and associated guidance which is available online through the Scottish Government's intranet. What this means is that the toolkit and guidance are available to all staff on their desktop computers.

4.6 A full programme of briefing on the public equality duties and on EQIA has been delivered to support the roll out of the EQIA process. This programme started in June 2006 and was completed in early 2007. The briefings have been delivered on a departmental basis to small groups of officials from across a range of civil service grades. The aim is to ensure that all Scottish Government Divisions have staff briefed in use of the EQIA.

4.7 The Scottish Government's EQIA looks at key areas. (Shouldn't we add in here promoting equality ? These are:

1. Policy - a clear definition of the policy and its aims;

2. Collecting evidence and engagement with equality groups;

3. Differential Impact - reaching an informed decision on whether or not there is a differential impact on equality groups, at what level and what you will do to address any adverse impact;

4. Measuring outcomes - stating methods for monitoring and evaluating the policy to ensure that it is continuing to achieve the expected outcomes for all groups.

4.8 To help deliver this, the Scottish Government's EQIA includes the following 10 step process:

Step 1	Define the aims of your policy
Step 2	What do you already know about the diverse needs and/or experiences of your target audience?
Step 3	What else do you need to know to help you understand the diverse needs and/or experiences of your target audience?
Step 4	What does the information you have tell you about how this policy might impact positively or negatively on the different groups within the target audience?
Step 5	Will you be making any changes to your policy?
Step 6	Does your policy provide the opportunity to promote equality of opportunity or good relations?
Step 7	Based on the work you have done - rate the level of relevance of your policy - HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW
Step 8	Do you need to carry out a further impact assessment?
Step 9	Please explain how you will monitor and evaluate this policy to measure progress
Step 10	Sign off and publish impact assessment

4.9 Guidance is available at each step and staff must complete the relevant sections of an online database which has been set up to record this process. The Scottish Government's EQIA toolkit and guidance are available online at the people and society, equality pages on the Scottish Government's website. A link to this website is attached in the Annex.

4.10 The Scottish Government's Equality Unit also offers support to staff on an individual basis and hosts regular 'drop-in surgeries' to provide support for those undertaking EQIAs.

4.11 Our EQIA and guidance require policy makers to be proactive and look at how they promote equality of opportunity, including the opportunity to encourage participation in public life, promote positive attitudes towards groups of individuals or promote good relations between different groups of individuals may be clear and obvious.

CHAPTER 5 - THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT AS AN EMPLOYER

51. The Scottish Government employs around 8000 staff within its core Directorates, Agencies and Associated Directorates and agencies. Our role as an employer is subject to the disability equality duty.

About the Diversity Team

5.2. The Diversity Team forms part of the SG's Employee Relations and Reward Team and is located with the Human Resources Division. The Team has lead responsibility for providing advice and guidance on the SG's employee policies on equal opportunities and diversity and also for implementing the SG's Diversity Strategy and wider Civil Service delivery strategies, including our current Diversity Delivery Plan.

5.3. The Team also undertakes outreach and awareness-raising activity, both internal and external, and supports the SG's six staff networks, including those for disabled staff, staff with caring responsibilities and those who work a flexible pattern.

Our existing policies and strategies

Equal opportunities and diversity policies

5.4. The Scottish Government's employee policy on equal opportunities is that all staff should be treated equally irrespective of any irrelevant difference, including their sex, marital status, age, race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, working pattern, employment status, gender identity, caring responsibility, or trade union membership.

5.5. In addition, we are committed to increasing the diversity of staff within the organisation, particularly those of our three main under-represented groups: disabled staff, senior women and staff from a minority ethnic background. We will develop all of our staff, ignoring those irrelevant differences. Furthermore, we will value the different perspectives and skills of all staff and make full use of these in our work.

Diversity Strategy

5.6. The Scottish Government's five-year Diversity Strategy, "Positive about You", was launched in November 2000. It set out a range of action points, under the heading of five main drivers to progress diversity. These were: it is the right thing to do; Scottish Government policy; Civil Service reform; the law; and the business case.

5.7. Following a review to ensure that it remained fit for purpose, it was re-launched as "Positive about You - 2004 and Beyond", in December 2004. The revised Strategy placed a renewed focus on the mainstreaming of diversity across the organisation and aimed to consolidate the substantial progress that had been made so far.

5.8. This was supplemented by the SG's Departmental Diversity Delivery Plan, published in July 2006. Work on a future Civil Service diversity strategy is currently underway and a launch is planned for Summer 2007.

Departmental Diversity Delivery Plan

5.9. As part of the Cabinet Office initiative, "Delivering a Diverse Civil Service - a 10 Point Plan", the SG, in common with other Government Directorates and agencies published its Departmental Diversity Delivery Plan. The plan set out how we planned to change the culture of our organisation and reap the benefits that having a diverse organisation brings.

5.10. The plan's progress has been overseen by the SG's Diversity Forum: a group of key diversity policy leads from across the organisation and is chaired by its Diversity Champion. It has also been monitored by the Cabinet Office Diversity Champions' Network. Many of the actions have already been achieved, and the work of the plan is now drawing to a close. A final evaluation will take place later this year.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PROGRESS - DIVERSITY TARGETS, APRIL 2008

GENDER	Apr 03	Apr 04	Apr 05	Apr 05	Apr 06	Apr 06	Apr.08***	Apr.08***	Apr 08
				Targets		Knowns		Knowns	Targets

SCS	27.5	29.2	31.3	30	33.8	N/A	37.4	N/A	37
PB2 + ****		22	20	24	N/A	26.2	N/A	30
BAND C	37.6	40.2	43.3	43	44.7	N/A	46.0	N/A	50.8
BAND B	44.7	45.6	46	48	46.7	N/A	49.7	N/A	**
BAND A	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**

ETHNICITY

SCS	*	2.3	*	1.7	*	*	*	*	2.15
BAND C	1.2	2.1	1.2	1.7	1.2	1.3	0.9	1.0	2.15
BAND B	1.2	1.4	1.1	1.7	1.1	1.3	1.2	1.3	2.15
BAND A	1.2	1.6	1.2	1.7	1.2	1.4	1.4	1.8	2.15

DISABILITY

SCS	*	*	2.7	3	3.6	4.6	5.3	*****	4
BAND C	1.2	1.1	1.9	1.4	2.2	2.8	2.4	*****	3
BAND B	2.2	2.6	3.6	3.2	3.4	4.9	4.6	*****	5.4
BAND A	4.2	5.1	5.9	5	6	9.7	7.3	*****	7.8

* Figures to be treated as confidential to preserve anonymity (numbers less than 5).

** No target set

*** Most recent figures

**** Senior Civil Service Pay Band 2 and above (Top management posts).

***** Information currently unavailable from the e-HR system.

Gathering Information on disability equality and diversity policies

5.11. Under the disability equality duty we are required to have systems in place for gathering information in relation to the recruitment, retention and development of our disabled employees. We use a number of systems for gathering this information and details of these are set out below.

Recruitment

5.12. As part of our resourcing policy that includes our recruitment process, information on disability is obtained from staff at the time of application and entry to the SG and is recorded on HR database systems, as is information on ethnicity and gender. Details of disability and ethnicity are held confidentially and are available only to selected HR staff on a 'need to know' basis. Staff diversity information, including disability, is subsequently updated on a self-service basis by individuals themselves.

Retention

5.13. The Diversity Team, in conjunction with the SG's Management Information Team, undertakes the key reporting role on equal opportunities and diversity issues for the SG as an employer. We report to our People and Business Innovation Group on a wide range of staffing issues, including turnover, attendance and progress towards our targets for under-represented groups. In addition, the HR Management Information Team also provides an annual submission to Cabinet Office as part of the UK-wide collection of information on civil servants. Plans are also in hand to publish a range of diversity information on the SG's internet site on a six-monthly basis.

Development

5.14 We record information on staff progress through the organisation in our HR database and some of this is evidenced in the progress towards our diversity targets. Although each member of staff does complete a Personal Learning Plan as part of the Performance Management process, this information cannot easily be disaggregated by equality strand. A new additional learning management module for our electronic human resources system is currently in the process of being developed. This system will provide a platform for staff and managers to record their planned and actual learning activities and also any learning activity that has been refused or not undertaken. This will allow us to ensure that all staff are accessing and undertaking learning opportunities at the same rate,

5.15 We also gather information on a range of other HR policies and in a variety of ways, including:

Dignity at Work

5.16. Our Dignity at Work policy aims to eliminate discrimination, bullying, harassment and victimisation. As part of our monitoring of the policy, we gather detailed information on an annual basis on every case recorded to enable us to identify and act on any incidents of discrimination or other unacceptable behaviour. If a complaint of discrimination, or any other form of unacceptable behaviour is raised, this is fully investigated by an independent pool of trained Investigating Officers, using the process set out in the policy. If it is decided that the complaint is well-founded, action will be taken under the SG's disciplinary procedures. Depending on the type of complaint, the penalty can be up to, and including, dismissal. Further training can also be recommended.

Performance Management

5.17. Effective operation of the Performance Management system will make an important contribution to meeting our commitment to disability equality by ensuring all staff are valued for their individual contribution and their performance is assessed fairly regardless of irrelevant difference. All staff have a responsibility to ensure that their participation in the performance management process supports the SG's diversity agenda. We review all markings given under Performance Management System to ensure that the system is free from bias and undertake regular equal pay reviews to ensure that our pay system is transparent and non-discriminatory. From 2008, all staff will also have a mandatory personal diversity objective as part of their performance appraisal.

Employee Consultation

5.18. We also consult disabled staff directly, through our disabled staff network and other communications, which we use where input is required, e.g. for the HR policy review process. Our annual employee survey also gathers a wide range of information from staff, including a range of equalities information.

Using information in meeting the disability equality duty

5.19. Under the disability equality duty we are required to make arrangements for using the information that we have gathered on staff recruitment, development and retention to help us review the effectiveness of the action that we are taking and inform future schemes. The details of how we aim to meet this requirement are set out below.

5.20. The information we gather is used on an ongoing basis as part of the monitoring and equality proofing of all of our HR policies. We aIso use the SG's Equality Impact Assessment process to identify issues of concern. If evidence of discrimination or unfair treatment is apparent from any of our monitoring procedures, we consider this further and put in place remedial action as required, e.g. by adapting existing policies or processes to eliminate such discrimination or undertaking awareness raising activity. Once any changes have been made, we would then seek feedback from staff and stakeholders once these have been put in place to ensure that they are effective. We review each of our policies and practices on a regular basis, seeking the views of equality groups, including the members of our staff Disability Network, as appropriate, and taking any action to address evidence of inequality.

5.21. Our Diversity Delivery Plan set out a range of action points across all equality strands and these have been reviewed every six months by the Diversity Forum. Each lead policy officer summarised recent action in each of their policy areas and future actions were agreed by the Forum members. The Plan is has also been reviewed at a Cabinet Office level by the Diversity Champions Network, which ensured that departmental action was supporting the wider Civil Service agenda and that progress continued to be made towards our targets. Progress towards our diversity targets is also monitored internally on a quarterly basis and we take steps, as appropriate, to address any issues arising from this information. As the work of the plan is now drawing to an end, a final evaluation will be undertaken later this year, in preparation for the launch of the new Civil Service Diversity Strategy.

5.22. We also take the following action to ensure the effective recruitment, retention and development of disabled staff:

Recruitment

5.23. Disabled candidates are automatically invited to interview for a post if they meet the defined minimum criteria and reasonable adjustments are made to the recruitment process as required. A statement about this appears on our recruitment code on our web-site and the guaranteed interview symbol appears on press adverts. The guaranteed interview scheme also applies to internally advertised posts.. As part of its annual audit, the Office of Civil Service Commissioners (OCSC) ensures proper arrangements for disabled staff are in place. All candidates' details are recorded on our recruitment database and reports are available on demand. If it is apparent from the monitoring of our recruitment processes that action is required to address any particular area, e.g. continued under-representation, we will consider if any additional action is required, such as further outreach work, alterations to our advertising or changes to our recruitment processes. We will also review past recruitment activity to ensure that future initiatives are appropriately targeted to support our aim of becoming an organisation that broadly represents the communities we serve. All recruitment and selection boards and processes must consist of at least one member of staff who has undergone the SG competency based selection interviewing training. This training includes training on interviewing disabled staff and the responsibility to ensure appropriate reasonable adjustments for disabled staff are put in place.

Development

5.24. Where required, we make arrangements to ensure that disabled staff can access corporate courses offered to all staff. For example, we will ensure that visually impaired staff can access course materials online using assistive technology and can also receive 1-2-1 training covering essential business needs (e.g. IT skills) as required. Staff can also arrange loans of lap tops and on line learning materials to allow then to learn in a place and time that suits them. Materials are also made available in large print and in dyslexia-friendly print colours, and we have the option to record audio books of training materials where required. Our dedicated training facilities on the SE estate are fully accessible to wheelchair users and disabled staff with mobility and other impairments. If particular groups are under-represented in relation to any of our development opportunities we will take steps to encourage applications from these particular groups and make adjustments to training methods and timetabling if possible. We will also work to ensure there is appropriate representation which reflects the wider SG population on particular training courses where this is possible.

Retention

5.25. Although the current SG staff turnover rate is very small, we are committed to the retention of disabled staff. Our policies require that line managers should make reasonable adjustments to accommodate and retain disabled staff in their posts and the procedures that arise from those policies acknowledge this (e.g. in cases of alleged misconduct, the disciplinary procedures require line managers and/or HR to establish the facts before deciding what action might be appropriate. If the reason for the alleged misconduct is related to an individual's disability, reasonable adjustments are considered instead of disciplinary action). The SG's HR Diversity Team and HR Professional Advisers Unit work closely to ensure that this is achieved through the provision of professional advice and through practical support. Information on the success of this strategy is obtained on a case by case basis as issues arise. We will also monitor more closely the reasons for staff leaving the organisation and use evidence from this to address any areas of inequality or unfair treatment in our policies and processes.

Involving our disabled staff

5.26. The SG is keen to work closely with all disabled staff to ensure that their needs are met and that we continue to make improvements within the workplace. We have undertaken a questionnaire exercise with all of our disabled staff, including members of our Disability Network, to agree with them their priorities for action in improving the working environment, in promoting positive attitudes and involving them in then decision-making process. There are a number of areas where these have already been taken forward:

The Work Environment

5.27. A number of our buildings have informal areas where staff can take a break from their immediate workspace. In addition, individual access to our first aid rooms can be made available if required for longer rest breaks. We have provided a wide range of equipment and adjustments for our disabled staff, including physical improvements, and hard and software. The adjustment process is now supported by our HR Professional Advisers, on an individual casework basis, giving a more personal and consistent approach. We also continue to work closely with our Information Technology and Procurement colleagues to try to ensure that any new systems are accessible and compatible with existing software. Our flexi-time system is available through our Intranet and so, for the first time, can now be used by many of our visually impaired staff. Where access is not possible, e.g. with our new access control system, adjustments have been made. We are also seeking to address existing diversity and disability training needs and a specialist training post for equality and diversity issues has now been created by Corporate Learning Services.

Promoting positive attitudes

5.28. All of our diversity information is now located on our Diversity Intranet pages, allowing easier and more effective access. The information is reviewed and added to on a regular basis and suggestions from staff are always welcome. The first in a series of managers' guides has also recently been published, to support managers in the daily task of managing diversity and we have recently supported the Department for Work and Pensions in an evaluation of its Access to Work initiative. The Team also has a hard copy library of a range of information on specific disabilities. We continue to hold regular meetings of our Disability Network, which comprises both disabled staff and others with an interest in disability issues, and are represented on, and share information with, the Civil Service Disability Network on a regular basis.

Involvement in HR decision making

5.29. We continue to use the Disability Network as a sounding board for our HR policies. Currently, we are continuing to involve disabled staff in our policy review exercise to ensure they are included right from the outset and their views taken on board. As a result of involvement of disabled staff we intend to take the following specific action:

Further action

5.30. Although many disabled staff indicated they were content with their current work situation (almost 70% of those responding to a recent questionnaire issued to all of the SG's disabled staff), others indicated that they would welcome a variety of changes.

5.31. We have already undertaken a number of the actions which have been identified by our staff:

We have introduced a one-day diversity training course which is available to everyone, and which includes work on disability issues.

We have introduced a personal diversity objective for all staff, which is mandatory from April 2007.

We have involved many of our disabled staff in the ongoing HR policy review exercise, with the opportunity to participate in targeted workshops.

We have held regular meetings with our trades unions to discuss diversity issues, including those related to disability and disabled staff.

We have produced a diversity newsletter, including an accessible version available on our intranet site.

We have provided equipment and other IT support as reasonable adjustments for an increasing number of staff ( 82 staff in the financial year 2007/08).

We have invited an expert diversity stakeholder to participate in our Diversity Forum.

5.32. There are a number of other action areas that were raised by staff which we have not yet had the opportunity to tackle. However, we will progress these with our disabled staff as part of our commitment both to them and to the wider disability agenda and include them in our future action planning process. In particular:

We will continue to work to change attitudes to disability, though a range of mechanisms, including learning opportunities, featured communications, re-iterating the support of our most senior staff and the provision of additional guidance to our managers.

We will consider further changes to the physical environment where we are able to do so.

We will develop our intranet disability pages to improve the advice and guidance we currently provide for our disabled staff on the specific issues raised by them.

We will work to improve engagement with our disabled staff by promoting our existing Disability Network, looking again at different methods of communication and information gathering and developing case studies of successful disabled staff.

HR Action Plan

Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Outcome
Development of disabled staff	Ensure that disabled staff have access to and undertake the fullest training opportunities. Develop cases studies of disabled staff with positive work experiences.	Line managers and Corporate Learning Services Diversity Team	Ongoing December 2008	Disabled staff are able to make the fullest use of training opportunities. Raise awareness of career opportunities for disabled staff.
Retention of disabled staff	Monitor the reasons for staff (including disabled staff) leaving the organisation and remedy accordingly.	Diversity Team and HR colleagues	Ongoing	Disabled staff are retained within the organisation and any unfair treatment addressed.
Performance Appraisal	All staff to have a mandatory personal diversity objective.	All staff	April 2008	Increased staff awareness and disability equality in delivery of business objectives.
Promotion	Ongoing monitoring of disabled staff in obtaining promotion and accessing opportunities.	Diversity Team	Ongoing	A fairer promotion process and increased opportunities for disabled staff.
Staff engagement and communications.	To continue to gather information on issues facing disabled staff through the staff survey and analyse this to determine actions. Issues "disability special" diversity newsletter.	Diversity Team, along with Employee Engagement Team and the Office of the Chief Researcher.	Ongoing End March 2009	Improved organisational understanding of, and response to, disabled staff's views. Raise awareness of disability issues across the SG
Information and guidance	Development of disability pages on the HR intranet site. Continued training programme by the Diversity Trainer.	Diversity Team Corporate Learning Services	Ongoing Ongoing	Better access to information and guidance for disabled staff and managers. Ongoing improvement to equality and diversity training and information.
Policy Review	Disabled staff to be involved in the policy review by engagement with Disability Network	HR Policy Review Team	Ongoing though 2008	Policy outcomes properly reflect the views of disabled staff.
Resourcing policy	In February 2008 a revised Resourcing policy was introduced. It will continue to be reviewed along with associated processes to ensure they reflect best practice and are legally compliant.	HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise	Ongoing. Now that the Resourcing Centre of expertise within HR has been established, it will ensure the resourcing policy will continue to be revised continuously in response to feedback and legislative requirements.	The SG complies with legal requirements and will be a best practice employer.
Interchange Strategy: Interchange is a temporary exchange of people, expertise, knowledge and skills between the SG and other public, private and voluntary, sector organisations.	We will continue to review Interchange policy and strategy to ensure best practice. In line with wider resourcing policies applications from disabled people are encouraged.	HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise	Ongoing. Now that the Resourcing Centre of expertise within HR has been established, it will ensure the interchange policy will be revised continuously in response to feedback and legislative requirements.	We will comply with legal requirements and will be best practice employer
Reappointment policy: The SG has delegated authority to determine arrangements for the re-appointment of staff. Re-appointment means appointment following an earlier period of employment with the Scottish Government another Government Department, where the previous appointment had been through fair and open competition in compliance with the Civil Service Commissioners Code on Recruitment.	We will continue to review reappointment policy to ensure best practice. In line with wider resourcing policies applications from disabled people are encouraged.	HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise	Ongoing	We will comply with legal requirements and will be best practice employer.
Public Appointments	We are working closely with OCPAS and in their work with their Diversity Delivers Strategy. We will ensure by continually reviewing and updating policy, processes etc that we actively encourage applications from disabled people	HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise	Ongoing OCPAS hope to publish their final strategy in September 2008	We will comply with legal requirements to ensure Scotland's public bodies reflect the diversity of Scotland's population

CHAPTER 6 - PROCUREMENT

Background

6.1 The procurement activities of public bodies are highly regulated (EU Treaty, specific EU Directives on procurement and jurisprudence from the European Court of Justice and the national courts) which means that such bodies are obliged to ensure that they act in a transparent and proportionate manner ensuring equal treatment and non discrimination in all their activities. In essence, this means that good procurement practice is fundamentally about treating potential suppliers equally and awarding contracts on the basis of merit following fair and open competition wherever possible. In this respect, good procurement practice is therefore consistent with equality policies.

6.2 We have produced a guidance document for the public procurement community in Scotland highlighting the extent to which social issues including disability equality can be incorporated into procurement processes.

6.3 The Scottish Government accepts that as a major procurer of goods and services it has to ensure that those who are contracted by us do not compromise our duty to promote disability equality when carrying out services to the public on our behalf.

6.4 The Government has amended its standard set of terms and conditions to include a clause stating that contractors shall not unlawfully discriminate with regard to disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion.

6.5 We require potential contractors for significant contracts to disclose any adverse judgements/rulings and have published guidance for suppliers on our procurement website that warns that failure to comply with legislation may result in them being excluded from bidding.

6.6 We are currently looking - in conjunction with industry representative bodies - at the scope which exists to enable public purchasers to restrict participation in a competitive tendering exercise to companies which meet the definition of a "supported business" (a supported business is a business where more than 50% of the workers are disabled persons who by reason of the nature or severity of their disability are unable to take up work in the open labour market)

Procurement Action Plan

Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Outcome
Procurement	We are working with industry representative bodies, seeking to maximise the opportunities that may exist to restrict participation in a competitive tendering exercise to companies which meet the definition of a "supported business" (a supported business is a business where more than 50% of the workers are disabled persons who by reason of the nature or severity of their disability are unable to take up work in the open labour market)	Scottish Procurement Directorate	March 2008 and ongoing	Supported businesses being awarded public contracts through competitive tendering processes which are consistent with EU procurement legislation.

CHAPTER 7 - Gathering information and making use of information

Scottish Government Analytical Services Divisions

7.1 Research and evidence helps us to think about new and better ways of doing what we do and provides new insights, understandings and discoveries that are to the benefit of Scotland. The Scottish Government funds a wide range of analytical activity which both contributes to the knowledge base of Scotland, the UK and internationally and helps us to inform and assess Scottish Government policies.

7.2 All of the main Scottish Government Directorates have a dedicated Analytical Services Division (ASD), which provides integrated analytical support from social researchers, statisticians and economists which allow them to develop and resource a relevant and focussed evidence base which includes economic appraisal, social research, evaluation and statistical analysis.

Delivering the Duty: The Importance of Evidence

7.3 The Scottish Government (SG) is committed to evidence based policy-making. This means that we work to ensure we develop and implement good quality policies on the basis of sound evidence (or data). We gather evidence from a range of sources, for example, we may review published research or commission new studies where research is missing or limited. We analyse information and statistics and we consult with people who have knowledge, expertise and relevant experience of the issues in question.

7.4 We recognise the importance of continually improving the quality of our evidence, particularly in terms of equality data. Specifically, 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.

7.5 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.

7.6 In order to build upon our 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 take disability issues into account.

7.7 To meet this end, analysts across the Scottish Government have committed to a programme of work that will help us achieve the following aims:

· Improve information collected 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 are 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.

7.8 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 Government.

Delivering the Duty: Commitment to Mainstreaming across the Scottish Government

7.9 We are committed to mainstreaming equalities into the work of analysts by:

· Strengthening central support for mainstreaming and working to build capacity;

· Improving access to equality evidence/data; and,

· Developing a longer term strategy for improving evidence/data to make information and analysis more accessible.

a) Central Support for Mainstreaming and Building Capacity

Social Justice Analytical Unit

7.10 A Social Justice Analytical Unit was established in 2007 to provide analytical support to the Scottish Government Equality Unit and support mainstreaming of equalities across the three analytical groups - statisticians, social researchers and economists. The Unit has been responsible for coordinating the Scottish Government's input to the ONS led Equalities Data Review of UK data on equalities and, developing and implementing Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) training for Scottish Government analysts.

7.11 The Unit is responsible for coordinating forthcoming work to promote the consistent use of official disability classifications across all Scottish Government statistical surveys and administrative data collections. Guidance on these classifications will be available in 2009.

7.12 The Unit will also continue to have an integral role helping analysts to build the capacity of their ASDs to provide sound equalities evidence and analysis which will inform and support policy. In so doing, the Unit will continue to support equalities mainstreaming across analytical groups to help ensure that good evidence and analysis is built into EQIA processes and public duty schemes and annual reporting.

Equality Analysts Working Group

7.13 This group was first established in 2006 to address more specific issues around equality definitions, data collection and use of evidence/data. The group membership and remit is currently under review to take account of the change in Government in May 2007 and the subsequent restructuring of our organisation.

7.14 The group will be re-launched in summer 2008 with the aim of developing capacity and awareness of equality issues across the SG. Its members will be drawn from across the Scottish Government's ASDs and will be balanced in terms of the three professional analyst groups - social researchers, statisticians and economists.

7.15 The purpose of the group will be to provide practical support and advice on mainstreaming equalities across analyst professions by:

· Developing equality briefing packs for specific policy areas;

· Improving analytical support to EQIAs;

· Coordinating ASD input to future revisions of public duty schemes and annual reporting;

· Considering better ways of ensuring that equality data are accessible and available to policy at the right time; and

· Looking at options for improving the consistency of data collected across research and surveys.

7.16 There will be a specific focus on disability issues and the disability duties as well as equalities issues more broadly.

Linking Information Gathering to Action Planning

7.17 We recognise the importance of gathering information to inform action plans. ASDs are focusing on assisting Directorates to gather information in relation to the actions identified in their business plans thus, supporting equality mainstreaming in the business planning process. This information will inform EQIA and policy development, as well as systems for monitoring and recording - enabling a better understanding of the effectiveness of policies and the outcomes for disabled people.

7.18 The Equality Analyst Working Group will have an integral role here supporting ASDs to assist their Directorates to gather information to inform their business plans.

Indicators and Outcomes

7.19 The Scottish Government's performance framework was published on 14 November 2007 following the Scottish Government Spending Review (SR). The SR framework sets out a series of high level indicators, outcomes and related targets against which the current Administration will monitor its performance.

7.20 The Social Justice Analytical Unit will continue to work with ASDs to ensure that the equality dimensions of these indicators, outcomes and targets are monitored and delivered in an evidence based way. The Unit will also continue to work with other bodies outwith the Scottish Government to ensure the necessary linkage between the equality dimensions of the SR framework and other frameworks used by these bodies.

7.21 The Office of the Chief Statistician (OCS) is facilitating this process by making available to all ASDs, and others in the Scottish Government, a database of statistical outputs and sources. The database will indicate which data are available on each equality group (including for disabled people) on each of the Scottish Government's statistical outputs and sources (170 sources and 150 outputs).

7.22 The database went 'live' on the Scottish Government's intranet on 31st January 2008 and is currently being populated by statisticians across the Government. The database is due to be rolled out to all ASDs (in spring 2008) and more widely across the Government in autumn 2007. The database will be updated on a regular basis.

b) Improving Access to Equality Evidence/Data

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

7.23 The PRIME 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 disabled people (and other equalities groups) within policy areas. The website has been promoted and used in particular to inform EQIAs.

7.24 The website use and content is to be reviewed in summer 2008 by the Equality Analyst Working Group in light of the Scottish Government's priorities.

High Level Summary of Equalities Statistics

7.25 The High Level Summary of Equality Statistics (HLSES) was published in November 2006 and continues to provide an important source of evidence on equalities. Communities ASD will be reviewing the role and scope of this publication in collaboration with the Equality Analysts Working Group from summer 2007.

c) Longer Term Strategy for Improving Evidence/Data

7.26 We continue to work to improve the collection and analysis of equalities evidence and data, particularly in terms of the kinds of information collected on the needs, views and experiences of disabled people. All national surveys break down data by the equalities strands and more work is being done by various directorates and agencies to link mainstreaming concerns with data collection and analysis issues. Examples of how we intend to improve the collection and analysis of evidence and data are discussed below.

Building Equalities into our Processes

7.27 The Office of Chief Researcher (OCR) published a new version of the Guidance for Commissioning and Managing Social Research on the 15th January 2007. This version includes a new separate section on mainstreaming equality issues, including disability equality in social research commissioning and management as well as other references throughout, including compliance with equalities duties. The forms used during the research procurement process have also been updated to include equalities issues. These documents will continue to be updated as required.

7.28 The OCR guidance on publication of Social Research has also recently been updated to include guidance on accessible websites and the importance of providing reports in Ariel 14 point where there is likely to be a significant interest for disabled people.

7.29 OCR will also be undertaking further work during 2008 to develop intranet pages/click through guidance to assist with considering equalities when procuring research. There are also plans to update the contract letter so that it specifically mentions equality issues.

7.30 The CERES (Central Research) database also collects information on whether equality issues have been considered in the procurement of social research. There are plans to update this function during 2008 to make it a mandatory field completed by all research managers. This will allow for more detailed information on equality issues to be collected on social research projects.

7.31 Further, the Ethics Working Group is developing a checklist for research project managers. The checklist will ask questions about whether all equalities issues have been addressed in the development, procurement and management of all social research commissioned projects.

Disability Definitions

7.32 Work has now begun to develop a better and more consistent approach to collecting data on disabled people. The Scottish Government has long recognised the importance of taking a social approach to understanding disability. For example, a literature review on Communication Support Needs (CSN), published in June 2007, was based on the social model of disability, and looked at the needs and experiences of people with CSN and the barriers they face when accessing services.

7.33 We have already begun discussions with Scottish Government analysts about the categories we use to collect data on disability and to develop a joint work programme to improve the data we collect. We have worked with the General Registrars Office for Scotland to promote the use of the Disability Discrimination Act definition to inform the Scottish Census disability categories for the 2011 Scottish Census and, to flag up the need for longer term work beyond that to create better categories. Analysts and policy-makers will benefit from consistent disability definitions used in surveys because it will ensure that survey data are comparable when they are used in policy impact assessment and evaluation.

Attitudinal Data

7.34 It will also be important to collect data which will inform the promotion of more positive attitudes towards disability. The Scottish Government commissioned a module in the 2006 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey to explore attitudes to discrimination in Scotland, the results of which were published in December 2007. This survey explored attitudes towards people with learning disabilities and towards positive action for disabled people applying for jobs. This survey module provided us with important information on people's perceptions of disability and the extent to which respondents knew people with physical or learning disabilities.

7.35 Work here is ongoing. Communities ASD will be working in conjunction with the EHRC to consider the policy implications of the attitudinal research findings related to disabled people, and look at ongoing needs for evidence on attitudes towards disabled people.

Data Comparing Social Groups

7.36 If we are to address inequality effectively, we need to use data 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.

7.37 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, through the harmonisation work programme, to integrate the samples of the Scottish Government's five core surveys [1]. The work programme is aiming for survey samples to be added together (possibly as early as July 2009), to produce a larger, more robust sample available for analysis, including on disability.

Exploring Various Methods

7.38 Where necessary, and if required, we will explore various methods such as the use of standalone, issue-focused surveys to provide supplementary quantitative information to the larger national surveys. Exploration will be undertaken in collaboration with the Equality Analyst Working Group. We will support the use of such methods where we believe they would improve our evidence around disability issues (and other equality groups).

Scottish Household Survey (SHS)

7.39 A new discrimination question was added to the SHS asking respondents about experiences of verbal or physical abuse within their communities because of their disability, gender, age, race, faith or sexual orientation. The question is currently being evaluated for 2009. In the meantime, analysis of responses (by equality groups where feasible) to the question will appear in the SHS annual report (or supplementary tables) due to be published in August 2007.

Scottish Government Analytical Services Divisions - Specific Action across the Scottish Government

7.40 This chapter has set out our strategic framework, for the next three years, for how we are going to gather information and make use of information to further promote disability equality. The remainder of this chapter sets out what specific actions are going to be undertaken by ASDs across the Scottish Government to do likewise.

7.41 Future annual reports will detail the progress we have made on our strategic framework and the following ASD actions to further promote disability equality.

Office of the Chief Statistician (OCS)

Introduction

7.42 To support effective disability equality mainstreaming, OCS is responsible for:

1) Providing and promoting access to statistical sources disaggregated by disability (and other equality groups) across all Scottish Government (SG) statistics outputs and sources for use by Government officials. Extracts of the database may be made available to others, on request.

2) Facilitating and promoting the consistent use of official disability definitions across all SG statistical surveys and working with others to continue to develop a set of core questions (including disability) to be used in the SG's five main statistical surveys, with a view to ensuring the availability of aggregated disability data from these surveys. Promotion of the core questions to smaller government surveys and local authority surveys is a high priority to ensure wider use of official disability definitions.

Action

High Level Summary of Equality Statistics (HLSES)

7.43 The Office of the Chief Statistician published the High Level Summary of Equality Statistics in November 2006. It is a compendium of key statistical trends, gathered and collated by OCS from statisticians across the SG for the main areas of Government activity, disaggregated by age, disability, gender, ethnicity and, in some cases, religion. It also provides a comprehensive list of data sources, where more detailed data can be accessed. To ensure widespread access, it was made available as hard copy and published on the Scottish Government statistics web-site, where data can be extracted for each equality group, including disability.

7.44 The HLSES continues to provide policy-makers across the SG access to key equalities data and equality data sources (including on disability) that they can use to undertake evidence based policy assessments and evaluations in relation to disabled people. The HLSES is also used by external users such as academics and the EHRC.

7.45 Responsibility for the HLSES passed from OCS to Communities ASD in autumn 2007. Communities ASD will be reviewing the role and scope of the HLSES in collaboration with the Equality Analyst Working Group from summer 2007.

Database of Statistical Outputs and Sources

7.46 OCS is currently compiling a database detailing which equality strands are included in each of the Scottish Government's statistical outputs and sources (170 sources and 150 outputs) - including a flag for disability. The database went 'live' on the Scottish Government's intranet on 31st January 2008 and is currently being populated by statisticians across the Government. The database is due to be rolled out to all ASDs (in spring 2008) and more widely across the Government in autumn 2008 and will be updated on a regular basis.

7.47 The database, like the HLSES, will provide analysts and policy-makers with easy access to disability (and other equality groups) statistics contained in all Scottish Government's statistical outputs and sources.

The Harmonisation Work Programme

7.48 The harmonisation work programme is aiming for survey samples to be added together (possibly as early as July 2009) making a larger, more robust sample available for analysis, including for disability. A sample additive methodology is being developed and the dissemination strategy for this large sample is being discussed.

7.49 The programme is also working to develop a consistent definition of, and question on, disability for inclusion in the core set of questions of the Scottish Government's five main statistical surveys. The ONS harmonised disability question will not be available for three to four years, so the Scottish Harmonisation Working Group are developing an interim question for Scotland. Initial guidance on this is to be published in 2009.

7.50 Analytical and policy colleagues will benefit from the use of consistent disability definitions in surveys because it will ensure that survey data are comparable when they are used in policy impact assessment and evaluation. In the same way, the larger sample size derived when data from the five core surveys are aggregated (including for disability) will help to ensure that the data are more robust, particularly the trend data, that will be used to monitor and evaluate policy outcomes.

Office of the Chief Researcher (OCR)

Introduction

7.51 OCR continues to work to ensure that all the equalities duties, including disability equality, are firmly embedded within social research practice. Firstly, a new version of the Guidance for Commissioning and Managing Social Science Research was published on 15 January 2008, which includes a new section on mainstreaming equalities issues, including disability, as well as other references throughout to meet compliance with equalities duties. This document will continue to be updated as required. Secondly, training has recently been held to ensure that analysts have the skills and knowledge to implement the public duties effectively within their work. Over the last six months, OCR and the Equalities Research Team have been providing equalities training to analysts in all ASDs. The purpose of the training has been:

To raise awareness of the new equalities duties and enable analysts to fulfil their responsibilities under this legislation;
To introduce analysts to the Scottish Government's Equalities Impact Assessment toolkit and explore the role of analysts in supporting policy colleagues to carry these assessments out.

Action

Procurement Guidance

7.52 As well as the new version of the Guidance for Commissioning and Managing Social Research, the forms used during the research procurement process have also been updated to ensure that equalities issues continue to be addressed throughout the process. Further work will be undertaken during 2008 to develop intranet pages/click through guidance on considering equalities issues including disability when procuring research.

CERES (Central Research)

7.53 The CERES database also collects information on whether equalities issues have been considered in the procurement of social research. There are plans to update this function later in 2008 so that more detailed information on equalities issues is collected on social research projects. Social research that supports and informs policy development will therefore help to ensure that the needs of disabled people are fully taken into account.

Education Information and Analytical Services Division (EIAS)

Introduction

7.54 Within EIAS there are a range of ongoing activities regarding the capture of data and research on issues of disabilities. These activities are set out below.

Action

Research Procedures

7.55 Our research procedures have been updated using a new approach to ethical issues which covers our equality responsibilities. This requires the issue of equalities including issues related to disabilities to be expressly addressed in each project undertaken. Each project and individual research design is reviewed individually to decide what approach to disability equality is required in terms of addressing the needs of disabled participants or subjects of the research. In addition, one of our Heads of Unit is identified as an ethical advisor to review and offer advice where ethical issues including equalities arise. Further guidance on considering equalities in the commissioning and managing of research is being developed for use across Social Research and will be followed by EIAS once available.

Data Collections

7.56 A significant amount of data is gathered from Scottish schools and local authorities through the ScotXed (Scottish Exchange of Educational Data) Unit. The Unit continues to undertake the collection of high quality data to support education and children's services in order to provide robust data, that is fit for the purpose of analytical products across the Division, and forms part of the evidence base that policy require.

7.57 Several other data collections are now linked to the disability information in the pupil census allowing further analysis. A package of basic information regarding pupil characteristics with suggestions for further sources of information is currently being prepared for circulation to policy colleagues to stimulate further action. Collection on disability among teacher workforce has also been explored with Scottish Local Authorities. The results of such collections are provided to policy for use in their development work.

7.58 Discussions are ongoing with local authorities with the aim of adding 'type of disability' for pupils in the standard school management information software. This will allow the ability to monitor and analyse achievement of pupils with a disability by type of disability. It is aimed to be added for the 2009 pupil census with analysis available in 2011.

7.59 We currently collect disability (self-assessed) information regarding attendance at Higher Education (HE) and Further Education (FE) and entitlement to disabled students allowance at HE. Through the EQIA process we are identifying elements of our skills programmes where information needs to be collected (for example, the status of attendees on skills for work programmes).

Economic Advice

7.60 Within appraisals and evaluations the distributional impact of policy initiatives is assessed to identify differential impacts on diverse groups (including disabled people) within the population.

Working with Policy Colleagues

7.61 A survey of EQIAs in DG Education (Schools, Children, Young People and Social Care and Life-Long Learning (LLL)) was undertaken in July/Aug 2007 by EIAS and ASU LLL Research [2]. The results of this survey were shared with equalities research and through them the equalities unit to help inform future actions in this area. Nine EQIAs in Schools and eight in LLL were identified as completed or in progress. By undertaking the survey and asking all branch heads about their involvement in EQIAs the profile and importance of producing EQIAs was raised.

7.62 To date the ASD has had little involvement in the production of EQIAs however this is starting to change as Policy colleagues become more aware of their responsibilities. To support policy colleagues with EQIAs in the future, analysts in EIAS have received training on EQIAs during 2007.

Office of the Chief Economic Adviser: Local Government and Public Service Reform

Introduction

7.63 We ensure that disability is considered as part of the equalities issue in all our commissioned work.

Action

Surveys

7.64 Scottish Household Survey data on local government and public services is available and can be analysed by disability.

7.65 The Candidate Survey and Elected Members Surveys for which we are responsible, are concerned with widening access to election candidature and ask questions about disability and long-term illness. This data will continue to be used to ensure that barriers to inclusion are removed.

Website Design

7.66 We are currently providing evidence from literature on usability of websites to highlight good practices for website design to look at accessibility for all (including disabled people).

Modelling Tax Benefit Changes

7.67 Modelling the impact of tax and benefit changes on Scottish households with disabilities (alongside the impacts on other household types) will provide a better understanding of how changes to the tax and benefit system impact on various types of households in Scotland. Analysis will be undertaken following Budget and Pre-Budget Report announcements which are normally in March, and October of each year, respectively.

Corporate Analytical Services: Europe, External Affairs and Culture (EEAC)

Introduction

7.68 Depending on the research, data on disability is usually collected to establish differences between participation and access to the arts and culture by disabled and non-disabled people. The SHS Culture and Sport Module is an example of such research.

Action

ArtFull Programme

7.69 EEAC ASU (Culture) is part of a group overseeing the ArtFull programme, which is a programme on arts and mental health, funded by the SG and managed by Scottish Arts Council. This programme involves different arts and cultural projects that seek to improve the lives and well-being of participants who have mental health problems.

7.70 Evaluation of each project in the ArtFull programme will be examined by an overall evaluation, with findings to inform the National Programme of Mental Health and Well-Being and Culture Policy in the SG on how to improve the mental health and well-being of participants through access to cultural activities (where there generally tends to be less access by disabled people than by non-disabled people).

7.71 The final report citing whether the aims of the ArtFull programme have been achieved (e.g. improved mental health and well-being of participants through the arts); how they have been achieved; and areas of good practice from which other arts and mental health organisations can learn, is due to be published by autumn 2007.

Scottish Household Survey Culture and Sport Module

7.72 Results of the SHS Culture and Sport Module, which asks about barriers and obstacles to accessing culture, will establish what policy can do to improve access for disabled people to cultural activities (whether obstacles are physical, social or psychological).

7.73 This module will provide new and unprecedented data on levels and extent of participation in culture and sport, by local authority area, and allow the SG to gain an insight into the barriers to participation - data will be disaggregated to disability data, and will inform on level of participation of disabled people and barriers to participation. Initial results are due by autumn 2008 with the main results due the following year (autumn 2009).

Transport Directorate: Analytical Services Unit

Introduction

7.74 Throughout our routine data collections, we collect equalities data where appropriate and possible. Our main data source (Scottish Household Survey, (SHS)) collects information about any disabilities people have. That allows us to analyse travel and transport questions by disability. Some of this data, including use of buses and rail services and travel to work patterns for disabled people is presented in The Scottish Government's "High Level Summary of Equality Statistics" http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/933/0041853.pdf. In addition, our regular statistical publications include a range of tables which disaggregate by (self-reported) disability or mobility.

7.75 Much information about transport in Scotland is not, however, collected by the Scottish Government. Scotrail, the CAA, CalMac, to name but a few, are the collectors of data on passenger numbers and ticket sales etc. We can, and do, liaise with such organisations through our ScotStat Committee on matters of shared interest and responsibility.

7.76 It is standard practice for all equalities issues - including those to do with disability - to be explored in all new research and data collection commissioned by the Transport Analytical Services Unit (ASU). Where appropriate, the need for sufficient information relating to disabled people in research to inform policy development, to appraise policy options or to evaluate policy is routinely considered.

7.77 Representatives of all three professional groups in ASU have recently undergone Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) training in order to assist policy colleagues in the assessment of all new and revised policies.

Actions

Survey Harmonisation

7.78 Further, in connection with recent and ongoing work being undertaken by OCS on harmonisation of the core questions across all Scottish Government surveys, Transport ASU will ensure that any further transport surveys (e.g. Bus Information Survey) will be collated in the same manner, allowing the resulting analysis to be analysed by disability. This will ensure that travel statistics can be analysed by disability in a consistent manner.

Bus Information Survey

7.79 Transport ASU will be commissioning a Bus Information Survey over 2008-2009. This will provide further information on travel experiences for disabled people. This will explore satisfaction with, and views on, bus services amongst both those who do and those who do not travel by bus amongst the general public, as a means of informing policy to improve bus provision. The findings will be analysed to explore the experiences of disabled people, as well as other equality groups.

National Concessionary Travel Scheme

7.80 The Evaluation of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme (led by Transport Scotland) is an assessment of the effectiveness of the scheme in meeting its objectives, which include allowing disabled people improved access to services, facilities and social networks. The evaluation is due to be completed by autumn 2007.

EQIAs

7.81 The ASU is committed to providing assistance to transport policy colleagues in the equality impact assessment of new and revised transport policies, particularly in assessing the available evidence on the needs and experiences of equality groups and the likely impacts of new policy on them. These evidence based equality impact assessments will continue to enable Transport Directorate to demonstrate how it is promoting disability equality through transport policy.

Communities Analytical Services Division

Introduction

7.82 We are working to ensure that we provide policy makers with robust and systematic evidence on disability to inform all stages of the policy cycle. All staff are encouraged and supported to do this through a divisional wide approach to equality training - including specific awareness of disability issues - and the development of expertise and resources within the Division.

7.83 We also have a role to support equality mainstreaming, including promoting disability equality to analysts across the Scottish Government.

Action

Discrimination Module

7.84 The discrimination module of the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey includes data on attitudes towards disabled people and is a valuable resource for policy makers in the Scottish Government, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and equalities stakeholders in Scotland. The results of the 2006 survey were published in December 2007 and a follow-up seminar with stakeholders, to discuss policy implications, took place in April 2007. Work is ongoing, in conjunction with the EHRC, to consider plans for further attitudinal research.

Disability Statistics and Categories and the HLSES

7.85 We are working across the SG and agencies to develop a consistent and coordinated approach to the collection of disability statistics and agree categories which can be used across the public sector and across different professional and policy activities. We will produce guidance on collecting information on disabled people for use across the public sector. Guidance on disability classifications for use across the public sector in surveys and administrative data will be available in 2009.

7.86 We are reviewing the Higher Level Summary of Equality Statistics (HLSES) to ensure that future publications meet user needs.

7.87 We intend to hold a user event in 2008 to allow key groups to feed into the collection of equality data.

Disability Mapping

7.88 Research to map the disability sector in Scotland was commissioned in March 2008 and will be completed in March 2009. To increase understanding of the capacity of disabled organisations to engage with public authorities, this study will produce a database of disability organisations and, an assessment of the extent of representation available to disabled people, to explore how best to ensure that disabled people and disability organisations are involved in SG and wider public sector policy processes. The Advisory Group for this work includes external representatives from disability organisations.

Equality Analyst Working Group

7.89 We have developed a cross SG and cross professional working group for analysts which aims to develop capacity and awareness of equality issues across the SG. To date the group has undergone EQIA training and is developing equality briefings packs for specific policy areas. There is a specific focus on disability issues and the disability duties as well as equalities issues more broadly. The group membership and remit is currently under review to take account of the change in Government in May 2007 and the subsequent restructuring of our organisation. The group will be re-launched in summer 2007.

The Scottish Ministers' Duties

7.90 Research to report on progress towards equality of opportunity between disabled persons and other persons made by public authorities in Scotland was commissioned in April 2008 and will be completed by October 2007. This research will directly support the legal duty on Scottish Ministers to report, no later than 1st December 2008, on progress being made.

Supporting People and Independent Living

7.91 The pilot evaluation of the Supporting People Outcomes framework is being developed to assess what concrete outcomes and improvements are achieved for disabled people - including entry to employment and moving into permanent accommodation. Communities ASD is also conducting an internal review of evidence on independent living and disabled people to help inform policy thinking on independent living. This initial evidence review will be completed by June 2007.

Evaluation of Ownership Options' Pilot

7.92 Communities ASD is about to commission an evaluation of the Ownership Options' pilot specialist advice service on disability issues for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) taking part in shared equity provision. The research will take place between June 2008 and August 2008 and will evaluate how effective the service has been at meeting its aim of helping RSLs plan for, target and directly assist disabled people to buy homes on a shared equity basis. The research will also identify options for ensuring operators of Government funded shared equity provision respond to the needs of, and are accessible to, disabled households in the future.

Poverty and Equality

7.93 Communities ASD also provides support to the Social Inclusion Division and, the work programme for analytical support to the poverty framework discussion includes specific consideration of the links between poverty and disability.

Rural and Environment Analytical Services (REAS)

Introduction

7.94 REAS is working to ensure that we provide robust and systematic evidence on disability to inform all stages of the policy cycle, across Rural, Marine and Environment policy development and evaluation. We acknowledge that for significant areas of this portfolio, the disability equalities dimensions of policy are still being scoped out and that our contribution lies as much in assisting the mapping of policy disability implications, as in the collection of data and evidence in support of this. REAS is committed to addressing the 'equalities data and evidence' challenge across the portfolio, as a priority for 08/09, and embeds 'equalities requirements' into divisional evidence meetings that inform the business planning process.

7.95 All REAS staff are encouraged and supported through a divisional wide approach to equality training - including specific awareness of disability issues - and the development of expertise and resources within the Division. During 2007/8 a number of REAS staff undertook OCR training on the Equalities Impact Assessment toolkit.

7.96 We also have a role to support 'rural' and 'climate change' mainstreaming across all SG policy development, and routinely embed equalities questions/dimensions in our mainstreaming work. Likewise, within economic evaluations, the distributional impact of policy initiatives is assessed to identify differential impacts on diverse groups within the population as appropriate.

7.97 In the research that we commission, we have been using the new Social Research 'ethical checklist' in the commissioning and management stages of research projects which ensures that equalities issues are explicitly considered in the commissioning process. Our rural and environment research teams participated in the pilot and evaluation of this new system, and our Environment Principal Research Officer is identified as a Scottish Government Social Research ethical advisor to review and offer advice across REAS (and to policy colleagues) where ethical issues including equalities arise.

Action

Consultation and Engagement Work

7.98 REAS analysts routinely advise and manage research contracts relating to consultation and engagement work across the portfolio, and explore options for engaging 'harder to reach' equalities groups within each policy area. REAS intends to use an anticipated substantive response from EHRC to the Scottish Climate Change Bill consultation as the basis for further dialogue on evidence needs across the Greener and Climate Change portfolios.

Business Planning

7.99 REAS undertake scoping of Rural, Marine, Environment and Greener evidence requirements for equalities, including disabilities in each business planning year. This allows REAS to map the key policy areas, issues and questions that require evidence and data.

EQIAs

7.100 REAS assists policy colleagues in completing EQIAs for key policy and legislative developments (e.g. Scottish Climate Change Bill). We are aware that the evidence base from which policy colleagues complete EQIAs requires further development, and we are seeking to assess priorities across the portfolio for new evidence needs.

Surveys

7.101 The Scottish Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours Survey 2008 (SEABS'08) will be gathering EM and disabilities data (through questions agreed by the Statistics Harmonisation Working Group) and anticipates the generation of new data for key environmental issues. The Scottish Household Survey contains data which is key to portfolio interests and REAS is able to draw equalities/disabilities data from this, as required.

Commitment to Improving the Evidence-Base

7.102 Both the Natural Environment Statistics Advisory Committee (NESAC) and the Scottish Environment Social Evidence Group (SESEG) are committed to assessing and improving the evidence base for environment policy development and evaluation and have highlighted 'equalities data' as priorities for 08/09.

Justice Analytical Services

Introduction

7.103 We are working on an ongoing basis to improve the evidence base for justice in relation to disability. We are also working to ensure that this evidence informs the policy cycle through highlighting the importance of Equality Impact Assessments and supporting policy colleagues to undertake these.

7.104 Justice ASD also participates in a cross analytical working group for mainstreaming equalities, working to increase awareness of equalities duties and improve support for policy colleagues to meet these duties.

Action

Scottish Crime and Justice Survey

7.105 The recently commissioned Scottish Crime and Justice Survey will collect data on the gender, ethnicity, age, religion and sexual orientation of victims and whether they have a disability. The survey will run continuously from April 2008 with an annual sample of 16,000 interviews and analysis will be undertaken with regard to these groups wherever possible. Survey data will be published annually from 2009.

7.106 These changes will mean that the survey will provide policy makers with more data, and a better understanding, on disabled people's experiences and perceptions of crime and the criminal justice system over time in Scotland.

Influence Stakeholders

7.107 Justice ASD undertake work to influence stakeholders (e.g. police forces and the Scottish Prison Service) to record data on disabled people.

EQIAs

7.108 Justice ASD has also supported policy colleagues in a number of Equality Impact Assessments, ensuring that available equalities data is used to consider the impact of policy initiatives and strategies on disabled people. We will continue to encourage colleagues to undertake assessments and provide analytic support for these as part of our analytical planning and programme development process.

Health Analytical Services

Introduction

7.109 We are supporting Health Directorates in using high quality evidence across the equality strands, including disability - any entry in this disability equality scheme from the Health Directorates which has an evidence need will be supported in some way by Health ASD. For example supporting the development of Better Together: Scotland's Patient Experience Programme which will collect patient experience across the equality strands.

Action

Scottish Health Survey

7.110 To include the collection of equality strand information including long term condition and disability. Data available on disability and long term conditions as part of the Scottish Health Survey - can also be linked to a wide variety of other health variables

NHS Resource Allocation Formula

7.111 The revised allocation Formula proposed by NRAC will be implemented from 2009/10 and includes all of the costs of providing health services to disabled people. It also specifically recognises the effects of disability on the health needs of the population. It uses the Limiting Long Term Illness (LLTI) rate to help establish the additional health needs for acute services, care of elderly and GP prescribing. The index for the Mental Health and Learning care programme is adjusted to reflect the percentage of people claiming severe disability allowance.

7.112 Looking ahead NRAC also recommended that issues of equality and diversity are considered in any future review of the Formula, ascertaining whether robust evidence is available and consulting on proposed recommendations with equality groups

7.113 The outcome of this work will be to ensure allocations are adjusted for equalities including long standing illness.

Statistics Review

7.114 To ensure that ISD and other data collections provide data by equality group, including disability where appropriate. As a result, more data available on disability and long term conditions

Community Care Data Collections

7.115 To ensure that the collection of data made by ASD across community care includes disability and long term illness where appropriate e.g. Register Blind and Partially Sighted http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/26140228/1. Through this work high quality data will be available on disability and long term conditions.

Include equalities within the PEDA (pre-expenditure delivery assessment) form submission process

7.116 Equalities are addressed as part of pre expenditure assessments within the Health Directorates

CHAPTER 8 - CROSS GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING THE GENERAL DUTY

Background

8.1 The 'general duty' lies at the heart of the disability equality duty. The purpose of the 'specific duties' is to help fulfil the general duty. It is against the general duty's 6 requirements that progress needs to be considered.

8.2 Coming into effect on 5 December 2006, the general duty covers all public authorities, with a few limited exceptions. It applies to all their functions, including employment, service delivery, procurement and setting the framework within which the organisation will deliver services.

8.3 The general duty for disability states that public authorities must have due regard, when carrying out our functions, to the need to:

1. - eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Act;

2. - eliminate harassment of disabled persons that is related to their disability;

3. - promote equality of opportunity between disabled persons and other persons;

4. - take steps to take account of disabled persons' disabilities, even where that involves treating disabled people more favourably than other persons;

5. - promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons;

6. - encourage participation by disabled persons in public life.

Meeting the General Duty to Promote Disability Equality in our Policy Making - a Cross-Government Commitment

8.4 To ensure consistent delivery of the general duty across all Scottish Government directorates and agencies, the following action will be taken:

Actions

Relevance to the general duty (parts 1-6)

Equality Impact Assessment

We will build EQIA into business planning, ensuring that EQIA is carried out on all new policies.

We will consider whether existing or established policies should be prioritised for EQIA.

We will use the results of EQIA to influence policy development

1-6

Staff Training

We will ensure that staff have appropriate disability equality training.

1-6

Use of Images

We will ensure that where appropriate at least 1 in 5 of the images used in our publications reflects disability.

Increased Participation

We will ensure that where appropriate we will advertise membership of groups, committees or advisory bodies through disability organisations.

We will ensure that the events which we organise are accessible for disabled people.

Gathering information

We will ensure that we take opportunities to improve our understanding of the nature and extent of issues facing disabled people by gathering relevant data and information. This will include our consultations, data collection and our monitoring and evaluation systems. We will use the information we gather to inform the development and delivery of our policies.

1-3

CHAPTER 9 - DIRECTORATE AND AGENCY ACTION PLANS

Background

9.1 The following pages set out action plans for the promotion of disability equality across Scottish Government directorates and agencies.

9.2 These action plans reflect the involvement of disabled people. However, we recognise that our systems for engaging with and involving disabled people are still developing. We will take action to address this and have set out in chapter 3 our plans for strengthening involvement and engagement.

Structure of the action plans

9.3 The action plans first describe the directorate or agency responsibilities and how the promotion of disability equality will help to deliver the Government's national purpose and outcomes. They then discuss what is known about the experiences of and issues for disabled people within the directorate or agency areas of responsibility. The plans then go on to list specific actions with expected outcomes, timescales and where the responsibility lies for delivering.

Coverage

9.4 Directorate and agency action plans are grouped by Ministerial portfolio. The National Archives and the Registers of Scotland have produced their own schemes, and the Scottish Courts Service and Scottish Prisons Service have produced associate schemes (see paragraphs 1.5-1.7 in chapter 1).

FINANCE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITIES

The Finance and Sustainable Growth portfolio is responsible for managing Scotland's budget effectively and delivering the right mix of policies to ensure increasing, sustainable growth in the Scottish economy.

It contributes substantively to our Purpose - to focus government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth - and is a critical driver of our wealthier and fairer Strategic Objective - to enable businesses and people to increase their wealth and more people to share fairly in that wealth. A fairer Scotland will, in turn, help reduce inequalities in areas such as educational attainment and health, helping Scotland become smarter and healthier. By investing to increase growth in Scotland's high-potential renewable energy sector, the portfolio also contributes to a greener Scotland.

The Finance and Sustainable Growth portfolio has responsibility for:

delivering better value in the Scottish budget to ensure we get the best possible return for frontline public services and taxpayers;
supporting public service reform to deliver better quality, user-focused services and smaller, simpler and more efficient government;
delivering and maintaining the right infrastructure for business success - through investment in transport, investment in Scottish Water and modernising the planning system;
refocusing the enterprise networks towards a shared goal of delivering increasing, sustainable economic growth and promoting Scotland's tourism industry;
contributing to tackling climate change and improving energy efficiency; and
further developing an innovative, sustainable and inclusive third sector.

PROMOTING DISABILITY EQUALITY

We know that around 20% of the population are disabled people. We have an ageing population and the incidence of disability is likely to increase. To meet targets and objectives our policies will need to tackle inequality and deliver outcomes for all of Scotland's people.

Disabled people have told us that access to public services can be difficult. Access to the built environment remains a significant issue for many disabled people. Inequalities still exist between disabled and non-disabled travellers and we know that a considerable majority of disabled people would like to travel more than they currently do. There are barriers which prevent disabled people playing a full role in society and in their communities, as business people, entrepreneurs, volunteers or councillors.

We will take action to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people by:

· ensuring implementation of the Government's Economic Strategy in a way that promotes disability equality

· issuing joint guidance on single outcome agreements produced by the Scottish Government, COSLA, the Improvement Service, SOLACE and Audit Scotland in February 2008, which includes advice on equalities

· improving awareness of, and access to, business support and innovation grant schemes

· improving information about public services through the One Scotland Portal

· working to make the third sector more financially viable

· requiring design and/or access statements to accompany certain planning applications

· continually reviewing the Scottish Buildings Standards in consultation with disabled people

· promoting accessibility standards for accommodation through our sponsorship of VisitScotland

· maintaining the concessionary fares scheme for older and disabled people

· consulting on standards for wheelchair accessible taxis

· delivering a programme for improving access to train stations

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Enterprise, Economy and Tourism Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

The EET Directorate is responsible for the following policy areas:

Business Growth and Innovation
Energy and Telecommunications;
Enterprise and Industry;
Sponsorship of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise;
European Structural Funds;
Innovation and Investment Grants; and
Sponsorship of Visitscotland, Tourism policy and Whisky Legislation

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

The EET Directorate is fully committed to the promotion of disability equality. The National Performance Framework commits the Scottish Government to ".. have tackled the significant inequalities of Scottish society". The EET Directorate will contribute towards this outcome under the Economic Growth and Sustainability indicators by ensuring staff are aware of need to ensure equalities duties are met when developing policy. Where appropriate EQIA assessments will be undertaken. The Directorate will also ensure its agencies are aware of equality duties and have equality strategies and EQIA where appropriate.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Figures on disability in the Household Survey of Entrepreneurship (2003) show that disabled people are not any less likely to be Thinkers, Doers or Avoiders than those who are not disabled. This differs from England, where those with a disability are significantly less likely to be Doers (8% compared with 14 %) and more likely to be Avoiders (82% compared with 76%). Disabled people in England, however, are not any more or less likely to be Thinkers (11% of disabled compared with 10% of non-disabled people).

The Annual Survey of Small Businesses in Scotland reports on the number of businesses that have partners or directors with long standing illnesses. The most recent published survey is for 2005 (2006 is due later this month). This shows that 9% of small businesses without employees are run by a partner/director with a long standing disability/illness or infirmity. The comparable figure for small businesses (10-49 employees) was 6% and for medium businesses (50-250 employees was 4%.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
To undertake sponsorship activities, including financial and performance monitoring of Scottish Enterprise (SE) and Highlands and Islands (HIE) and ensure the requirements placed on them are fulfilled in respect of corporate governance and statutory obligations.	To ensure that the enterprise networks are operating within a framework that enables them to meet their statutory equalities duties as effectively as possible.	Victoria Fraser, Enterprise Networks Division	Ongoing	Both Networks have committed to embedding diversity in all their work and have Equality Monitoring Schemes and Equality Action Plans in place see below. Work is ongoing to ensure that Equality Impact Assessments are conducted on all major policies and programmes. SE and HIE will produce annual Equality reports. Scottish Enterprise - Equal Opportunities Annual Report 2007 ( www.scottish-enterprise.com/publications/eop_annual_report_2007.pdf). This highlights their ongoing work and further evidence is available on their website with published equality impact assessments covering disability issues: http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom_home/about_se/equalopportunities/impact-assesments.htm?siblingtoggle=1 Highlands and Islands Enterprise - Disability Equality Scheme Annual Review 2006-07 ( www.hie.co.uk/HIE-equality-documents/HIE_disability_equality_scheme_annual_review_2006-07.pdf) Highlands and Islands Enterprise - Equality Scheme Action Plan, revised in December 2007 and which links to the development of Operating Plans from April 2008 ( www.hie.co.uk/HIE-equality-documents/HIE_equality_scheme_action_plan_december_2007.pdf) Amongst other activity HIE is working with the Highland Employer Coalition to promote employment of disadvantages groups including disabled people.
To develop policy and manage delivery of all European Structural Funds across Scotland, supporting the Scottish Government's and the European Union's aims of boosting economic growth and improving productivity while reducing economic and social disparities.	Equal Opportunities has been integrated as a horizontal theme into the 4 Scottish Structural Funds programmes for 2007-2013. This will include integrating consideration of all equality strands disability, gender, race, age, sexual orientation and religion/belief. The new on-line computer system for applicants for Structural Funds has taken full account of the needs of individuals with disabilities.	European Structural Funds	Throughout lifetime of Programmes which run from 2007-2013. Programmes launched by Minister on 1 October 2007. Shadow round run April 2007 to March 2007. First main round run from April 2007.	Reduce inequalities in the workplace. Increase opportunities for groups who may be disadvantaged in the workplace.
The sponsorship of VisitScotland in promoting tourism within Scotland	As part of its work with tourism businesses of all kinds, VisitScotland runs an Accessibility scheme. VisitScotland seeks to actively promote the provision of appropriate facilities for disabled people wherever possible, in accordance with best practice, consumer expectations and the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).	Tourism and Whisky Legislation	Ongoing.	All providers of accommodation and tourism attractions have to comply with the DDA and may opt to highlight the accessibility of their properties by using the VisitScotland Accessibility scheme. Disabled people are more aware of accessible accommodation and make more use of facilities

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
To support business growth, productivity and innovation.	We will promote equality of opportunity by ensuring marketing literature is available in a variety of accessible formats and is distributed to a wide range of organisations, associations and events. In particular, will look to target events or groups where particular equality strands (such as gender, age or race) are represented. Questions covering equality issues will be incorporated into future Customer Surveys. These surveys are undertaken on a regular basis and include both successful and unsuccessful applicants.	Innovation and Investment Grants Division	Ongoing	Increased awareness and equitable access for all eligible firms to business support and innovation support grant schemes.
To mainstream the tasks of the Enterprise and Business Team into the wider work of Scottish Enterprise.	Raise the awareness of business in Scotland to their responsibilities under equalities legislation and to provide support and advice as required. The Scottish Government provided £1m towards the Enterprise in Business project, which began in 2006/07 to raise awareness.	Victoria Fraser, Enterprise Networks Division	2006/07-2008/09	An interim evaluation will take in 2008/09

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

The Directorate is responsible for dealing with planning and related appeals in Scotland.

The Directorate is committed to improving the delivery of our services. To achieve this we are working with partners within government and the wider community to ensure that the entire decision making process in respect of appeals and called-in applications are accessible to all.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Our commitment to disability equality is to remove barriers and discrimination that disabled people face which can prevent access to the public service we provide.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

We have taken feedback from disabled people and representative groups, and used this to build sustainable mechanisms which can ensure that the views of disabled people can be represented in the planning process.

As such all documentation submitted can be made available in different formats such as Braille and audio tapes where required.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Access to Services including Online website	Ensure Planning and Environmental Appeal website is accessible for disabled people.	IT liaison section and Web team	Review and update regularly	Disabled people can access information on the Scottish Government's website.
	Update the Planning and Environmental Appeal website to specify appeal forms and planning information is available in different formats.	IT liaison and ISIS	In line with IT projects and new legislation	Disabled people can access planning information via Braille, audio tapes, different languages, BSL etc
Disabled access	Review questionnaire issued to providers of accommodation for Public Local Inquiries to ensure disabled access	Admin Team	TBA	Ensure, wherever possible, that buildings used for Public Local Inquiries meeting are accessible for all
Performance Appraisal	All staff to be made aware of diversity issues within our business delivery and to have reference to our commitments within their appraisal objectives.	All staff	April 2008	Increased staff awareness and disability equality in delivery of business objectives.
Training of frontline staff on disability equality.	Training for staff on using the loop system within office, and how to greet Deaf staff/visitors and even awareness of British Sign language.	All frontline staff disability aware and able to ensure good customer service for disabled staff and visitors	.TBA	Staff trained to use the loop system within office, and front line staff, know how to meet and greet Deaf/disabled staff/visitors.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Web access	Ensure Scottish Government website is accessible for disabled people.	Web team/IT Liaison team	Review and update regularly	Disabled people can access information on the Government's website.
Accommodation	Improve main signage within building	Facilities and Estates Services	Ongoing	Main signage meets needs of disabled people.
	Improve access, in particular front door entrance to building and lift.	Facilities and Estates Services	Ongoing	Access to building meets needs of disabled people.
Recruitment	Ensure recruitment is a fair and open process to all.	Management Team	Ongoing	Barrier free recruitment increased applications from disabled people

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Directorate for the Built Environment

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

This new Directorate covers the Government's role in relation to the built environment, primarily Town and Country Planning, Building Standards and Architecture Policy. Its role is to ensure that the national framework for development in Scotland: supports sustainable economic growth; is responsive to national and local needs; respects and enhances the environment in which it takes place; and provides people in Scotland with high quality places and facilities in which to live, work, travel and recreate. Our aim is to encourage a positive approach to delivering development - an approach that promotes quality, efficiency and sustainability in the design and construction of our homes, workplaces and public spaces; and which places that development within the context of local, regional and national growth.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

One of the Scottish Government's National Objectives, as set out in the Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007, is for "living in well designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the amenities and services we need". The Directorate is committed to the delivery of an inclusive built environment, a key component in ensuring communities are more sustainable. The accessibility of both the physical environment and the procedures used to deliver that environment continue to be addressed whenever policy is developed or implemented.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The primary information sources on the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people have come out of their involvement in recent consultations on changes to both the building standards and planning systems.

Understanding of these issues has paralleled development of building standards and guidance addressing the usability of buildings. Since introduction in 1985, there have been several reviews of access standards, culminating in the most recent improvements in May 2007. Current building standards are based upon an inclusive approach to building design, requiring safe, convenient and unassisted access for all people.

Since 2002, there have been a number of consultations focussing on improving public engagement in the planning system. Responses to these consultations and the involvement of bodies representing disabled people on the provisions contained in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 suggests that the interests include: a general theme of improved information accessible in a range of formats; the provision of suitable access to the built environment and enhanced involvement of, and consultation with, disabled people. We have been keen to build on this evidence and have sought to seek further views of disabled people and representative bodies throughout the consultation process.

The Directorate is in contact with a number of organisations representing disabled people and is presently widening its contact base to ensure better, continuous, low-level stakeholder involvement in matters relating to the development of the built environment. It is also involved, with many disability organisations and disabled individuals, in British Standards Institution (BSI) committees which develop national (UK) advisory documents and codes of practice which promote good practice in access to the built environment.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
The requirement for design and / or access statements to accompany certain planning applications	The preparation of appropriate secondary legislation and accompanying guidance.	Planning Modernisation and Co-ordination Division	January 2009	Developers will be required to set out how design and access issues have been considered for relevant developments
Enhanced involvement of disabled people in the land use planning process	Through the provision of appropriate guidance to planning authorities we will encourage the early involvement of disabled people in town and country planning.	Planning Modernisation and Co-ordination Division	January 2009	The enhanced involvement of disabled people in the making of place
Monitoring the effectiveness of present, improved standards and guidance on access	Review of the effectiveness of 2007 building standards for accessibility through discussion with stakeholders, including disability organisations	Building Standards Division	Ongoing, until May 2010	Information to inform future reviews of building standards, to further enhance effectiveness of legislation.
Increased involvement of organisations representing the interests of disabled people in the development of building standards and associated matters.	Increased discussion with stakeholders, including disability organisations, on access and other topics addressed by building standards.	Building Standards Division	March 2009, then ongoing	Better information on how the needs of building users are, and might further be, addressed by Building Standards.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Enhanced community engagement in the planning process	The preparation of appropriate secondary legislation and accompanying guidance.	Planning Modernisation and Co-ordination Division	January 2009	Increased engagement with communities in the planning process
Advice to planning authorities on equalities issues	Linked to the equalities duty in the Planning etc, (Scotland) Act 2006, a consideration of the need and the scope for any advice / guidance on equalities issues with a particular emphasis on land use planning	Planning Modernisation and Co-ordination Division	May 2008	Government view as to whether there is scope for such advice to planning authorities
The preparation of an easy read guide to the planning system	The provision of information on the modernised planning system using plain English and in accessible formats	Planning Modernisation and Co-ordination Division	January 2009	Improved access to information on the planning process
Continued delivery of building standards that promote an inclusive approach to design	Review of policy and procedures, engagement with stakeholders including disability organisations; research and implementation of improved standards and guidance.	Building Standards Division	Ongoing	Building standards that remain fit for purpose and address the needs of Scotland's population.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Public Service Reform

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Efficient Government Unit

Increased efficiency is an essential component of the drive to deliver better public services.

We are in year 1 of a 3 year efficiency programme to deliver efficiency gains which can be reinvested in improving public services.

Public Service Delivery

Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs)

Best Value

Community Planning

Community Councils

Accounts Commission

The introduction of SOAs with local authorities is essential for the alignment of local outcomes with the National Outcomes and Purpose. Best Value and Community Planning underpin the outcome agreement approach. Community Councils also have a part to play due to their role as facilitators of community engagement. .

Each council is expected to agree a SOA with the Scottish Government which sets out their contribution to the Government's 15 national outcomes

Transformational Technologies

One Scotland Portal In consultation events, disabled people have said that more information is needed about public services including public notices and access to information on lifelong learning, rights, justice and health. Accessibility guidelines have been followed for web-site development Usability and accessibility is being taken forward by a third party, including testing by disabled people. An equality impact assessment has been carried out prior to the development of the portal.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Efficient Government Unit

Improved efficiency is one of the ways by which the public sector can release funds which can be reinvested in providing better public services. While the Efficient Government Unit is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the programme and for monitoring progress towards the targets set, individual public sector organisations (including SE directorates and agencies)are responsible for identifying and delivering efficiencies.

We remain committed to improving public service delivery for all users and ensuring that no one group, including disabled people, is adversely affected.

Public Sector Delivery

SOAs - the Scottish Government's stated Purpose is to focus the Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. The Concordat agreed between the SG and COSLA sets out the new relationship between SG and local government and accepts that although the SG will set policy direction, it will stand back from micro-managing service delivery. SOAs are a major part of the Concordat and free up local authorities and their partners to meet the varying local needs across Scotland. Local authorities are expected to set out their contribution to each National Outcome - outcome 7 states 'we have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society'.

Joint Guidance produced by SG, COSLA, the Improvement Service, SOLACE and Audit Scotland was issued in February 2007. Under the section on scope, councils are advised to set out their duties in relation to equalities.

We are working on the equality impact assessment on Single Outcome Agreements as an ongoing process and in line with that are developing guidance to staff on how best to fulfil the equality duties in relation to Single Outcome Agreements.

Best Value - equalities is one of the 10 characteristics covered by statutory guidance for local authorities and one of the 9 in non-statutory guidance for other public service organisations. We held 3 equalities events in Autumn 2007 to disseminate information and advice to public services bodies. Further work on raising awareness of the equalities characteristic under Best Value is unlikely in the short term.

Community Planning - equalities is covered in the statutory guidance for community planning and specific guidance on equalities was produced by CoSLA. Community Planning Partnerships have requested and are being provided with support on equalities by specialists, funded by Communities Scotland; this is being extended to cover Single Outcome Agreements.

Community Councils - issues arising from the consultation on the Model Community Council Scheme to take place in April will help to inform the approach to equalities within Community Councils. Advice on equalities, in the form of "best practice" guidance will be issued to Community Councils in due course.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Disabled people have told us that access to public services can be difficult. And we understand that access is not just about the built environment. Access to information is important and attitudinal barriers can also prevent access to services.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Efficient Government Unit
	Portfolio Managers to remind Project Managers that while the Efficient Government Programme itself will have no adverse impact on any user group, individual efficiency projects might, so project managers should consider the need to carry out Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) for every efficiency project to ensure that all user groups are treated equally and that no specific user group will be adversely affected.	Portfolio Managers (Reminder) Project Managers (Consideration of/completion of EIAs)	During all routine meetings with individual project managers	Completion of EIAs to be considered for every efficiency project
Public Service Delivery
Introduction of single outcome agreements with Councils	We are working on the equality impact assessment on Single Outcome Agreements as an ongoing process and in line with that are developing guidance to staff on how best to fulfil the equality duties in relation to Single Outcome Agreements.	Public Service Delivery Division	End April 2008	Equalities embedded into Director led discussions with LAs to ensure councils understand their duties under equalities legislation and under the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Transformational Technologies
One Scotland single information portal	Within a new portal providing a signposting service to sources of information and advice, collating information relevant to disabled people, in consultation with disabled groups.	Transformational Technologies division	March 2009	Disabled people and advice services are better able to access information about public services in Scotland.
Third Sector
Ensuring the third sector has an effective voice and campaigning role	Range of actions in the Third Sector Development Programme including strategic partnerships with key national bodies, development of local third sector networks and work to make the third sector more financially sustainable	Third Sector Division	March 2011	A more sustainable third sector offering a more effective voice for the people it represents
Scottish Investment Fund	A £30m fund investing in third sector organisations to contribute to the sustainable economic growth of Scotland - many third sector organisations will deal with people with disabilities	Third Sector Division	March 2011	More financially sustainable third sector organisations with enhanced capacity and capability to contribute to Scotland's economic growth
Action Plan for an Enterprising Third Sector	Development of an action plan promoting enterprise in the third sector	Third Sector Division	March 2011	A more enterprising third sector with enhanced capacity and capability to contribute to Scotland's economic growth

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

FINANCE DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Work corporately across the Scottish Government to secure sustainable outcomes within the budget authorised by the Scottish Parliament;

Lead the Government's financial strategy, reporting, accounting processes, and internal audit service; and

Support the Government's infrastructure investment programme, securing quality and value for money - within a Best Value regime - and, where appropriate, utilising innovative partnering solutions.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

A Wealthier and Fairer Scotland is at the heart of everything we want to achieve for this country. We are aiming to achieve this by providing the funding to increase sustainable economic growth. In order to achieve this outcome the Finance Directorate is committed to the promotion of disability equality.

While we have a robust processes for ensuring policies incorporate equality related and have a culture of which we can be proud we will continue to consider all new policies, including reviews and changes to existing policies, to ensure that we recognise people's different needs, situations and goals and remove the barriers that limit what people can do and can be.

We will actively engage with our partners and stakeholders in order to know about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate.

We will undertake key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement. We will continue to take key actions within the within the Finance Directorate to ensure that disability equality is being mainstreamed.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency responsibilities

We know that around 20% of the population are disabled people. We have an ageing population and the incidence of disability is likely to increase.

We also know that disabled people are significantly more likely to live in poverty than non-disabled people (68% of disabled people have an annual income of less than £10,000).

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Public Sector Pay Policy	The 2008-09 Public Sector Pay Policy (published on 11 April) notes that bodies subject to the Policy should take into account the Solidarity target in the Scottish Government's Economic Strategy "to increase overall income and the proportion of income earned by the three lowest deciles as a group by 2017" by specifically considering their lowest paid groups of staff.	Finance Pay Policy Team	2008-09	Bodies subject to the Pay Policy will consider any low pay issues and address them in their 2008-09 pay remit.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

SCOTTISH PROCUREMENT DIRECTORATE

Directorate Responsibilities.

Work corporately across the wider Scottish public sector to secure improved, sustainable, procurement (of goods, works and services) performance, delivering value for money improvements, improved capability and standards to support delivery of better public services and sustainable economic development.

Lead the Government's strategy for procurement, implementing the recommendations of the 2006 McClelland report and resulting procurement reform programme. Lead the policy and legislative framework within which public procurement must be conducted. Ensure that guidance drives and supports best practice in procurement.

Deliver national and central Government family collaborative contracts and ensure that the central Government family's procurement activity delivers vfm and conforms to best practice.

Also to ensure that public procurement in Scotland meets the highest possible standards of ethics, propriety and regularity.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

The Scottish Procurement Directorate (SPD) is committed to the promotion of disability equality. SPD is also committed to ensuring that burdens on business are, wherever possible, minimised and that public procurement procedures do not unfairly disadvantage SMEs. Public procurement must also be conducted within a detailed legal framework which requires that procurement procedures focus on information relevant to ability to perform the particular contract in question. The legal framework which applies to procurement can be regarded as a kind of equal opportunities policy aimed at suppliers (by law, all suppliers must be treated fairly, equitably and proportionately).

SPD has published guidance for purchasers on the ways in which social issues, including equality issues, can be incorporated into procurement procedures.

SPD standard terms and conditions of contract require contractors to comply with all equalities legislation.

Those tendering for higher value contracts are required to disclose any adverse rulings, judgements relating to the conduct of their business and are warned that failure to comply with applicable legislation may result in them being excluded from competition.

We will also actively engage with our partners and stakeholders in order to know about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate and who may be affected by contracts we award.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency responsibilities

We are aware that supported businesses are those where more than 50% of the workers are disabled people who are unable to take up work in the open labour market.

SCOTTISH PROCUREMENT DIRECTORATE Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Procurement	We are working with industry representative bodies, seeking to maximise the opportunities that may exist to restrict participation in a competitive tendering exercise to companies which meet the definition of a "supported business" (a supported business is a business where more than 50% of the workers are disabled persons who by reason of the nature or severity of their disability are unable to take up work in the open labour market)	Scottish Procurement Directorate	March 2008 and ongoing	Supported businesses being awarded public contracts through competitive tendering processes which are consistent with EU procurement legislation.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Economic Strategy Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

To deliver the Government's Purpose through the implementation of the Government Economic Strategy across the Scottish Government.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

A key element of the Government Economic Strategy is equity, including ensuring that there are opportunities for all to contribute to Scotland's sustainable economic growth. This includes access to public services. Part of the work of this Directorate is to seek to ensure that this approach is delivered across the Scottish Government.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

We know that around 20% of the population are disabled people. We have an ageing population and the incidence of disability is likely to increase. We also know that the employment rate for disabled people of working age in Scotland is 47.4%, in comparison to an employment rate of 82.7% for those with no disability. Employer perceptions contribute to the difficulties that disabled people face.

The Government Economic Strategy highlights that an equality impact assessment will be undertaken for each policy area across six strands, including disability, to ensure that they are appropriate, to mitigate against any potential negative impacts and to ensure our policies are robust and effective.

This will not be undertaken by this Directorate, but with policy areas who are taking forward specific elements of the Strategy.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Ensure implementation of the Government's Economic Strategy.	We will be proactive in informing all Directorates with responsibility for delivering the elements of the Government's Economic Strategy of the importance of the public sector equality duties and the need to promote disability equality in delivering the Strategy.	ESD	Ongoing	Disabled people are able to contribute to and share in Scotland's sustainable economic growth.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Scottish Development International

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Scottish Development International is the arm of the Scottish Government responsible for delivery of the government's international economic development agenda. As such, it is responsible for co-ordinating and driving the promotion of Scotland as a prime location for inward investors and for developing opportunities for Scottish-based businesses to internationalise. These activities primarily support the "Wealthier and Fairer" strategic objective, but also contribute to the wider objectives, e.g. through supporting renewable energy projects, by increasing workforce participation, creating better employment opportunities and making Scotland an attractive place to do business.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Scottish Development International is fully committed to the promotion of disability equality both within its own workforce and through the programmes/projects it helps to deliver.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Scottish Development International is fully aware of the need to ensure that its activities support the needs of disabled people. All support is provided on a non-discriminatory basis to those projects that contribute most effectively to the government's purpose and strategic objectives.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Providing support for disabled staff.	Review SDI's internal support systems for disabled staff in terms of both work-place environment and career development opportunities.	Martin Reid	31 March 2009	An evidence-based support system for disabled staff.
Provide opportunities for disabled people to support and contribute to the economy.	Actively consider disability equality opportunities when developing projects.	All team project managers	31 March 2009	Clearly identified opportunities for disabled people to become engaged in SDI projects.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
SDI's main activity is to support the development of the Scottish economy through either the attraction of foreign direct investment (fdi) or through supporting the internationalisation of Scottish companies.	Ensure that in delivering these objectives there are no impediments to the full and active participation of both staff and project partners who may have a disability in the context of the DDA 2005	Martin Reid	31 March 2009	Disability cannot be identified as a constraint in taking a full and active part in supporting SDI's objectives.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Climate Change and Water Industry Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Climate Change and Water Industry Directorate is responsible for climate change policy, and for the ownership of Scottish Water.

This work contributes to the Government's 5 strategic objectives, and in particular, contributes towards a Greener Scotland and a Wealthier and Fairer Scotland.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Climate Change and Water Industry Directorate is committed to tackling inequality and disadvantage faced by disabled people. In particular the Directorate will ensure that EQIAs are prepared as part of all policy development.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

We know that around 20% of the population are disabled people. We have an ageing population and the incidence of disability is likely to increase.

Each individual, whether in a private or public capacity, will be affected by policy on climate change and will benefit from this policy to a greater or lesser degree.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Climate Change	Question included in consultation paper for Scottish Climate Change Bill asking whether equality groups will be affected by the proposals in the proposed Bill	Climate Change Division	Ongoing	To gather evidence of any specific issues for disabled or other disadvantaged groups.
	Equality groups invited to take part in stakeholder/consultation events on proposed Climate Change Bill	Climate Change Division	Ongoing	To gather evidence of any specific issues for disabled or other disadvantaged groups.
	Equality Impact Assessment to be prepared for Scottish Climate Change Bill	Climate Change Division	During course of 2008	to determine the extent of differential impact upon relevant groups, and in turn whether that impact is adverse

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Climate Change	Ensure venues where stakeholder/consultation events take place (such as recent ones on Climate Change Bill) are accessible to disabled groups	Climate Change Division	Ongoing	Allow people with disabilities to attend and participate
Climate change	To ensure that equality issues (including disability) are kept in mind, introduce standing item on equality, to Division meetings, on quarterly basis.	Climate Change Division	Ongoing	Equality is borne in mind as staff go about every day duties.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Transport Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Contributing towards the Government's strategic outcomes - including the promotion of sustainable economic growth and strong and safer communities - through a safe, integrated and efficient transport network.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Through Scotland's National Transport Strategy we aim to achieve improved quality, accessibility and affordability of public transport. By improving the transport choices available to people - including disabled people - we improve accessibility to jobs, public services and a range of other activities. In general terms, we do this by, amongst other things, connecting remote and disadvantaged communities, improving the public transport offering, and increasing the quality of the experience of the transport network for people, including improving safety for passengers and staff travelling on public transport. More particularly, a number of our activities (see the Action Plan that follows) focus explicitly on the transport related needs of disabled people.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Research on Improved Public Transport for Disabled People, highlights that key inequalities still exist between disabled and non-disabled travellers and that a considerable majority of disabled people would like to travel more than they currently do. The barriers facing disabled people when travelling are numerous, ranging from negotiating the physical environment to personal safety issues to the need for reliable travel information through the whole journey. We know that the incidence of disability increases with age and therefore demographics suggest that difficulties with transport will affect a larger proportion of the population in future.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
A to B safely Some small scale studies found children with learning difficulties to be disproportionately represented in road accidents. The study found four key areas where it is believed that this group of young people could face additional road safety risks: · a limited awareness of surroundings and concepts of danger · a limited ability to cope with changing situations · some difficulties in putting theory into practice	This is a new, interactive, multi-media road safety education resource for young people with mild to moderate additional learning needs. It is an online resource, for which support materials are available in hard copy.	Road Safety Scotland, Bus, Freight and Roads Division	Ongoing	Better road safety for young people with mild to moderate additional learning needs
Code of Practice "Access to Air Travel for Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility"	UK wide consultation from early April 2008 on revised draft Code of Practice concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air. This will provide guidance to the air transport industry to help it to meet new obligations contained in European Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006.	Department for Transport in consultation/partnership with the Scottish Government and other UK Devolved Administrations.	After the consultation period, the final version of the Code will be published by 26 July when the European Regulation comes fully into force.	Improvements in air travel for disabled people.
Procurement and Management of lifeline Ferry Services in Scotland i.e Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service, Northern Isles, Gourock-Dunoon and Campbeltown-Ballycastle	Ensure that the Public Service Contract for each ferry service tendered complies with the relevant disability legislation in relation to disabled people and to consider the needs of disabled travellers. This includes consideration of the needs of visually and hearing impaired people. The operator must take into account the needs of disabled people when providing information, timetables and booking reservations systems. The operator must demonstrate that they have taken into account any relevant aspects of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) Guidance and the relevant requirements of the DDA	Scottish Government	Both the contracts for Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service and Northern Isles have already been awarded using these criteria. Gourock-Dunoon and Campbeltown-Ballycastle if they are tendered will also feature these criteria	Services demonstrate DDA compliance and disabled people have improved service.
Sponsorship of David MacBrayne Ltd	In the role of the assessor to the Board of David MacBrayne Ltd to ensure that the ferry operating companies supplying the ferry services comply with all of the relevant disability legislation and to additionally work proactively to meet the needs of the disabled community. The operator will comply with the contract conditions which are specified above.	CalMac Ferries Ltd, and Northlink Ferries Ltd	Already in operation
Sponsorship of Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL)	CMAL are bound to comply with all disability legislation regarding their piers, harbours and vessels. covering access to and use of land and water facilities by all members of the public including the very young, elderly, incapacitated through illness or injury and the disabled.	CMAL	Already complying
Active Travel	All grant recipients are aware of disability and equality legislation in their programme delivery and are proactive in full inclusion policies e.g. access to volunteers for tandem rides; inclusion of children/adults with disabilities in school and workplace travel plans; street audits are DDA compliant.	Sustainable Transport Team in partnership with Sustrans, Cycling Scotland, Living Streets and other smaller community grant recipients.	Ongoing	More active travel choices for people with disabilities.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
The Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older & Disabled People The Scheme was introduced on 1 April 2006. It is delivered by Transport Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. There are approximately 1.1 million National Entitlement Cardholders. Within that total, about 162,000 people under age 60 qualify on disability grounds. Over 914,000 (85%) cardholders are over age 60. They qualify on age alone and people with a disability within this sub-total are not separately identified.	Transport Scotland have commissioned an evaluation of the scheme. Amongst other things, the evaluation will identify whether people included in the sample have a disability, their reasons for using a National Entitlement Card and their opinion of the scheme. There will be a major review of the scheme during 2008-09. Amongst other things, this will look at eligibility criteria. The review will also include an equality impact assessment and consider whether eligibility criteria changes need to be made.	Bus, Freight & Roads from 1 April 2008 in conjunction with Transport Scotland.	The final report is due by 31 August.	Eligible disabled people are benefiting appropriately.
Road Safety Strategy for Scotland	Consultation document issued to groups including Disability Rights Commission.	Road Safety Team and Road Safety Scotland, Bus, Freight and Roads Division	Strategy by October 2008, delivery will then be ongoing to 2017.	A road safety strategy which is inclusive for all, taking into account any specific needs of disabled people in relation to road safety identified from consultation and research
Develop standards for wheelchair accessible taxis	UK wide consultation from August to November 2008 to identify in detail the regulatory and non-regulatory options for taking forward a commitment to deliver more accessible taxis.	Department for Transport in consultation/partnership with the Scottish Government and other UK Devolved Administrations	Following the consultation an agreed way forward is expected around January 2009.	Agreement on the technical standards for accessible taxis and the preferred delivery option.
Assessing Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) strategies (RTSs against equality impact assessment guidance	Seeking to ensure Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) undertake equality impact assessments as part of their RTS development and how transport will encourage equal opportunities locally	Local Authority and Partnership Liaison team in association with other Scottish Government stakeholders	Subject to delivery of agreed drafts for Ministerial approval - expected in Spring 2008	The needs of disabled people are identified and addressed.
Amalgamate MACS and PTUC	Seeking to enhance the PTUC board with 3 additional members who have a knowledge and understanding of accessibility and mobility matters. This will ensure the travel needs of disabled people are strengthened by this new integrated body	Transport Strategy	A PTUC amendment order will increase the number of members of the PTUC from 12 to 15. A MACS Regulations Revocation order will revoke the current MACS legislation. Both orders are planned to come into effect from 1 July 2008	A body that will represent the interests of all public transport users in Scotland. It will reinforce positively the ability of disabled persons to bring accessibility and mobility issues directly to Ministers' attention

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Transport Scotland

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Transport Scotland, established in January 2006, is the national transport agency for Scotland. Transport Scotland plays a key part in improving and expanding Scotland's public transport infrastructure and in promoting transport integration. The Agency is responsible for the rail and trunk road networks and oversees their operation and management. The Agency also supports the delivery of the programme of current and future major infrastructure projects for road and rail; has established and is running the Scotland-wide free bus scheme for older and disabled people; and oversees the provision of impartial travel information services and supports the increased provision of integrated tickets.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Transport Scotland will continue to promote the advancement of disability equality by ensuring that our mainstream policy initiatives and programmes take cognisance of the needs of disabled individuals. We will ensure that disabled people are involved in the development and implementation of policy and programme initiatives and that the delivery of such initiatives are targeted to ensure disabled people are aware of and can take full advantage of opportunities available. The key policy areas below have nearly all been developed with input and involvement from disabled people through their appropriate representative groups.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Transport Scotland established both the Scottish Rail Accessibility Forum (SRAF) and Roads for All Forum (RFA) in 2006 in order to work with disabled organisations and to make sure that the agency's work takes accessibility issues into account.

The SRAF has been established to bring together representatives of the Scottish rail industry and disability representative organisations in Scotland to discuss and advise Transport Scotland on: new standards and requirements being proposed by the Department for Transport; ways that the rail sector in Scotland is able to support disabled people to use its services and how Transport Scotland can promote this; and the continuing roll-out of the GB-wide Access for All funding stream including the selection of stations for future development.

The Roads for All Forum has an overseeing role for the implementation of the Trunk Road Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan.

Both groups have met regularly on a quarterly basis since autumn of 2006. The Mobility Access Committee Scotland (MACS) has been involved in both of these groups and has also provided additional advice where necessary. Both forums have had an important influence on the work of Transport Scotland.

Disability equality impact assessment is a mechanism for the thorough and systematic analysis of a policy or practice to determine the consequences for disability equality.

The Scottish Government has developed an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) toolkit which can be used across 6 equality strands. The toolkit is supported by guidance and by a programme of briefing sessions, training and ongoing support from the Scottish Government's Equality Unit for individual impact assessments.

EQIA is being used in relation to policies and practices contributing to the strategic objective of improving and expanding Scotland's public transport infrastructure and in promoting transport integration.

Transport Scotland is responsible for developing and maintaining and using the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) for evaluating transport projects. The EQIA process has now been integrated into this process so that there is a recognised way of ensuring that equalities issues are addressed for all potential new transport investment.

We will consider all new policies, including revisions to existing policies, to establish whether disability equality impact assessment is necessary. In line with our toolkit, this will cover any policy which impacts on people.

We will also look at and prioritise our existing policies and practices for impact assessment. To inform this, we will use the outcome of the 'get involved' events which were held in autumn 2006 and the recommendations of the Disability Working Group report (November 2006). We will also work with Analytical Services colleagues to examine the evidence in relation to existing policies and disability and use the outcome of this to support our impact assessment priorities.

Responsibility for considering priorities and ensuring that impact assessment is undertaken will be at Transport Scotland Board level. The Scottish Government's Equality Unit will continually look at how the impact assessment process can be improved and how staff from across directorates, including Transport Scotland, can best be supported.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Establish and manage Scotland-wide free bus scheme for older and disabled people	Established scheme and currently operating it. Will jointly monitor its operation with the Scottish Government's Transport Directorate.	Concessionary Fares Unit	Ongoing	Increased uptake by disabled people of the free bus scheme. Improving access and integration.
Review the national concessionary travel scheme	Carry out a full review on all aspects of Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People	Concessionary Fares Unit	End 2009
Scottish Trunk Road Disability Equality Scheme & Action Plan	Publish and implement the Trunk Road Action Plan	MTRIPS: Standards Traffic & Environment Branch	Ongoing (2006 - 2009)	Three year action plan to address disabled access to trunk roads.
Roads for All Forum	Continue to hold regular meetings of the Roads for All Forum, which includes stakeholders from both the roads sector and disabled groups.	MTRIPS: Standards Traffic & Environment Branch	On-going	Improved Scottish Trunk Road Action Plan.
Railways for All Strategy (DfT) & Roll-out of Access for All Funding Stream (Transport Scotland)	Roll-out of the Access for All funding stream including managing the process for the selection of stations for future access development.	Strategy & Investment Directorate	On-going	Improved rail station access for disabled people, the elderly, and people with luggage.
Establishment of a Scottish Rail Accessibility Forum and associated programme of work.	The Scottish Rail Accessibility Forum has been established to bring together representatives of the Scottish rail industry and disability representative organisations in Scotland to discuss and advise Transport Scotland on disability related issues.	Strategy & Investment Directorate	End 2006 and then on-going	The rail sector in Scotland will be able to better support disabled people to use its services and Transport Scotland will be able to advise Dept for Transport on issues of concern.
Code of Practice on Train and Station Services for Disabled Passengers	Consulting, along with Dept for Transport, on a revised Code of Practice, aligning it with the new Technical Specification for Interoperability for Persons of Reduced Mobility.	Strategy & Investment Directorate	Summer 2008	Consistent standards across the rail sector will help disabled people access the rail network.
Through the Franchise Agreement we oblige First Scotrail to undertake a range of activities with respect to station accessibility.	Oversee the First ScotRail Franchise agreement which includes: the minor works fund of £250,000 per annum for small scale alterations or additions to improve the accessibility of stations for disabled people; maintain website information on accessibility at stations to act as a guide to disabled passengers; review its Disabled Persons Protection Policy annually and in accordance with the guidelines.	Rail Delivery	On-going	Improved quality of train accessibility and use by disabled people.
Ensure new rail projects are of benefit to all	Ensure that all new rail projects meet current standards for accessibility and look for opportunities to improve access and facilities for disabled people as part of other work.	Rail Delivery	On-going	Improved quality of new facilities, and increased use of the rail network by disabled people.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Ensure that the policies we develop and/or the services we provide pay due regard to the need to eliminate any unlawful discrimination against disabled people.	Make sure all staff are trained in disability equality All policy teams to use equality impact assessment tool as part of policy proofing stage All policy teams to engage with disabled individuals in policy planning stage (as appropriate)	All directorates	Annual review	No case of alleged discrimination' More positive feedback from disabled people.
Ensure that the policies we develop and/or the services we provide are able to pay due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between disabled and non-disabled persons.	Embed a question in all new consultations (where appropriate) about equality. Incorporate impact assessment tools in option appraisals for ministers and look to see if the accessibility section in the current Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance needs to be enhanced Continue to and expand collection of data relating to the use of our networks by disabled people. Consider the needs of disabled people when identifying how to allocate funding for transport projects.	All directorates TEAR	Annual Review	More disabled people using the services we provided.
Ensure that the policies we develop and/or the services we provide are able to pay due regard to the need to eliminate any harassment of disabled people, related to their disability.	Make sure all staff are trained in disability equality All teams to incorporate impact assessment tool in early option appraisals with a specific view to highlighting potential areas of discrimination	Chief Executive All Directors	Annual Review	Increased uptake of our services by disabled people and increased levels of customer satisfaction.
Arrangements we will put in place to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people will include:	All policy teams to involve (where possible) disabled people in stakeholder representation and liaison. Positively encourage the appointment of disabled people to public positions and as representatives on advisory groups.	All Directorates Communications Transport Scotland	Annual Review	More positive attitudes generally to disabled people.
We will encourage the participation of disabled people in public life by:	Positive encouragement for the appointment of disabled people to apply for public positions and as representatives on advisory groups.	Chief Executive Directors	Annual Review	Increased number of disabled people in public appointments or on advisory groups.
Action we will take to meet disabled people's needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment:	Consider the needs of disabled people when identifying how to allocate funding for transport projects.	All Directorates	Annual review	Increased uptake of transport and our services by disabled people and increased levels of customer satisfaction.
To ensure that disabled people are involved in the development of your department's policies and activities.	All policy development and implementation teams to ensure (where possible) disabled people are actively involved in part of the planning phase as well as consultation phase.	All Directorates	Annual Review	Policy teams successfully reporting the involvement of disabled people in policy development and implementation.
To ensure that we are able to report on progress on an annual basis?	Progress against the above will be reported annually to the Transport Scotland Board and each Directorate may undertake more frequent audits. The activities in the Disability Equality Scheme will be included in the next three year corporate plan. 2008/9 - 2010/11	All Directorates	Annual Review 2008	Embedded process to ensure thorough monitoring and reporting on activity.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITIES

The Health and Wellbeing portfolio is responsible for developing and running effective policies and programmes that:

protect and improve the health of people in Scotland;
tackle health inequalities;
promote equality, and tackle discrimination, prejudice and disadvantage;
provide high quality health care and social care services, person-centred and close to home;
promote social inclusion and reduce poverty;
increase the supply of good quality, affordable housing and prevent and tackle homelessness;
regenerate communities; and
promote physical activity and participation and success in sport.

These policies and programmes support the achievement of our objective for a healthier Scotland, promoting greater wellbeing among all those living in Scotland. They also underpin the delivery of other programmes across portfolios to promote equality and to tackle poverty, disadvantage, discrimination and prejudice.

PROMOTING DISABILITY EQUALITY

We know that around 20% of the population are disabled people, but that disabled people are not a homogenous group. There are many types of disability, including physical or sensory impairments, mental health conditions, learning difficulties and long term health conditions such as HIV. There are also gender, ethnicity and other dimensions. And we know that the incidence of disability increases with age and therefore demographics suggest that disability will affect a larger proportion of the population in future.

We recognise that many disabled people experience unequal access to our services and unequal health outcomes. Access is not just about the built environment, it is about the attitudes and practices that permeate every aspect of services. We know that disabled people are more likely to live in circumstances which put them at greater risk of poor health: poverty, unemployment, poor housing, lack of choice and control, and poor access to goods and services are all known predictors of poor health, with significant costs to the individuals concerned and society.

We will take action to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people by:

· embedding 'Fair for All: Disability' within NHS Health Scotland

· development of our e-Health strategy to ensure information on patients' individual needs and circumstances can be effectively communicated across different parts of the health system

· redesign of the NHS Wheelchair & Seating Service

· promoting uptake of self-directed support as a means of enabling disabled people to have more flexibility, choice and control over their social and health care

· co-ordinating implementation of the report of the Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities

· supporting national disability led organisations to build the capacity of disabled people and promote engagement with service delivery

· delivering clearer and more generous provision of grant for housing adaptations for disabled owners

· development of a framework for tackling poverty, inequality and deprivation

· working with all our Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games partners to ensure planning continues to address disability equality

Disability Equality Action Plan

Name of Directorate or Agency

CHIEF NURSING OFFICER DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency responsibility

CNO Directorate provides policy and professional practice advice on all issues relating to nursing, midwifery, Allied Health Professions (AHP) and Health Care Scientists. It develops, implements and evaluates policy on education and training, regulation, modernising NMAHP careers, leadership, recruitment and retention, patient experience, eHealth, mental health, children's and midwifery services. It also provides professional leadership to the NMAHP and Healthcare Scientists professions in Scotland working closely with the professional bodies and NHS managers.

The Directorate is also responsible for (1) Clean Hospitals including Healthcare Acquired Infection, (2) The National Programme for Patience Experience and (3) the provision of advice to Ministers on cross-professional regulation and workforce standards for both the regulated and unregulated workforce. It also ensures an effective contribution to the international fora including the Scotland/Malawi Initiative.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps deliver the Government's national purpose and outcomes

The Directorate is committed to delivering opportunities and service in respect of the responsibilities noted above to the whole of Scotland, taking account of the different needs and helping achieve the aspirations of the community at large either as individuals or as members of discreet subsets.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The close working relationships between Chief Nursing Officer Directorate and Higher Education Institutes allows the Directorate to have a live and evolving understanding of issues faced by disabled people looking to become student nurses and midwives.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected outcomes
Student nurse and midwives recruitment	Monitor recruitment process and issue guidance as required to ensure the process remains barrier free (developed in conjunction with representatives from student bodies and HEIs)	Chief Nursing Officer Directorate	ongoing	Barrier free recruitment - increased application from, and enrolment of, disabled people
Develop and target advertising and PR specifically for disabled people	Chief Nursing Officer Directorate	ongoing	Increased number of enquiries from disabled people about studying nursing and midwifery in Scotland
All national student recruitment campaigns to include positive portrayal of disabled people, improved website accessibility, use of subtitles in TV campaigns, availability of text phones and other communication methods	Chief Nursing Officer Directorate	ongoing	Increased number of enquiries from disabled people about nursing and midwifery education opportunities in Scotland Improved perception among disabled people that HEIs takes account of disable students needs to achieve their goals
Consultations/ publications	All events, websites and publications will be accessible, promote equality and provide positive portrayal of disability	Chief Nursing Officer Directorate	On going	improved access to events, information and increased engagement of disabled people

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected outcomes
All	Equality Impact Assessment forming part of policy development processes including engagement with representatives from disabled groups	Chief Nursing Officer Directorate	ongoing	Policies and functions designed, developed and delivering better outcomes for disabled people
Senior staff and Ministers take opportunities for engagement with disability groups/events and issues. Ensure positive disability messages are included in speeches	Chief Nursing Officer Directorate	ongoing	Better understanding of disabled peoples needs and aspirations to improved policy development and delivery
Policies to include options to maximise the potential of disabled people	Chief Nursing Officer Directorate	ongoing	Policies and functions designed, developed and delivering better outcomes for disabled people
Maintain dialogue with, and seek guidance from, Equality and Human Rights Commission as appropriate	Chief Nursing Officer Directorate	ongoing	Policies and functions designed, developed and delivering better outcomes for disabled people

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Chief Medical Officer Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

To work with Ministers, our delivery partners and other stakeholders to protect and improve public health and to oversee the clinical effectiveness of healthcare services in Scotland.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

The CMO Directorate's commitment to promoting disability equality is reflected in its business plan which aims to meet the healthcare needs of all people in Scotland.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

These are already well understood. Knowledge is kept up to date by involving people with disabilities, their carers and support groups in consultation processes and on appropriate Directorate working groups.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Management of long term conditions: Meeting the needs of people with Post Polio Syndrome	Facilitating a SMASAC (Scottish Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee) working group to assess needs and current service provision, in order to report and make appropriate recommendations to SGHD	Craig Bell Dr AS Watson		Identification of healthcare needs of people who are experiencing the long term sequelae of poliomyelitis
Better Cancer Care A discussion	Meeting Fair for All Disability Group Ensure Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) is performed	Dr JL Armstrong JLA, Alistair Pringle, Sarah Grierson	Closing date for consultation 5 May 2008 Summer 2008	Improved access to screening services and more training for NHS staff on care of people with disabilities
Palliative Care	Ensure EQIA is performed	JLA, Alistair Pringle, Mark Aggleton, Colin Brown		Improved palliative care services for people with disabilities
CMO's annual report to First Minister	Where appropriate, at least one in five of the images used in the publication will reflect disability	CMO Dr M McWhirter	Autumn 2008	To promote positive attitudes towards people with disabilities
Refreshed CHD and Stroke Strategy	Ensure EQIA is performed.	W Scott A Keel A Pringle	Autumn 2008	To ensure equality of access to services for disabled people.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

HEALTH FINANCE DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

The Directorate consists of three divisions - Health Finance Division, Capital and Property Planning Division, and Health Analytical Services.

Key functions of Health Finance Division are:

· Financial Reporting and Control, covering financial data analysis, accounting processes and financial reporting as well as technical accounting guidance, audit and governance issues;

· Financial Performance Assurance, covering financial management advice and assurance to the Delivery Directorate, all Health Boards and the health programme budget holders within the Health Directorates; and

· Financial Planning and Development, covering planning and project manage, policy and quality assurance, leads on efficient government and best value and on developing performance measurement and benchmarking.

Key functions of Health Analytical Services are:

· Supporting policy development, implementation and evaluation by providing appropriate and relevant evidence, advice and analysis through an integrated analytical approach; and

· Providing analytical support in the measurement and reporting of the performance of health and community care services;

to work closely with ISD, other NHS organisations, and local authorities to ensure the availability and application of high quality information.

The Capital and Property Planning Division has responsibility for those policies relating to the physical assets (property, medical equipment and IT) from which healthcare services are delivered and for allocating and managing the capital resources made available to NHSScotland to invest in modern, fit for purpose assets. This includes lead responsibility for the Health Directorates' Capital Investment Group which approves and monitors delivery of major investment projects developed by NHSScotland Boards.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

This directorate is committed to delivering disability equality for its staff. It is also committed to ensuring that NHSScotland policies, procedures and services for which it is responsible take account of disabled people's needs and experiences.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Health Analytical Services has developed an evidence base around equalities/ inequalities through the commissioning of social research, work with ISD, the regular data collections which ASD undertake, our work with the Health Inequalities Task Force and our work with Patients and Quality /Fair for All (which has now become part of Health Scotland). Health Analytical Services knows that the issues for disabled people also depend on their gender, sexual orientation, ethnic group, level of deprivation and religion/ belief

Health Analytical Services know that there are inequalities in the prevalence of long standing limiting illness and / or disability: For example:

§ People living in the most deprived 10% areas are almost three time more likely to have a limiting long term illness than those living in the least deprived 10% areas (SFDA);

§ The prevalence of limiting LTC increases with age, ranging from 7% amongst 16-24 year olds to 54% amongst those aged 75+ years (SHS);

§ For all ethnic groups, at least 40% of people aged 60+ years report themselves to have a long-term illness or disability. This is highest for the Pakistani group at 66% (2001 Census).

The mental health and wellbeing also appears to be worse amongst some specific groups. For example:

§ Mental health problems affect more women than men. Specifically, women experience higher rates of depressive disorders than men. However, men are more likely to complete suicide and experience earlier onset of schizophrenia with poorer clinical outcomes than women (SDCMH);

§ Those who have a low income, find it difficult to manage on their income or live in a deprived area are among the more likely to have had experience of mental health problems (personal or of someone close to them), display more signs of psychiatric disorder and have less positive mental wellbeing scores (Well? What do you think?).

§ Comparison of teenage and older mothers showed that teenage mother suffer from poorer mental health in the first three years after their child's birth (BHPS);

§ Rates of attempted suicide and self harm have consistently been shown to be higher amongst young and adult LGBT people (SDCMH).

There is also evidence of inequalities in access to and use of health services. For example:

§ People with learning disabilities and mental health problems are receiving some health checks and treatments less often than the general population, for example: cholesterol checks and statins for people with heart disease; spirometry for respiratory illness; blood pressure for stroke; BMI checks for diabetes - despite having a higher prevalence of these conditions (DRC FI);

References

BHPS British Household Panel Survey

DRC FI Disability Rights Commission - Formal Investigation - Health inequalities (2006)

SDCMH Scottish Development Centre for Mental health; Equal Minds - Addressing Mental Health Inequalities in Scotland, 2005.

SHS Scottish Household Survey

Social Focus on Deprived Areas 2005 - Health ( Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication)

Well? What do you think? Survey; MORI (Commissioned by the Scottish Executive)

The Capital and Property Planning Division has integrated the requirements for NHS Boards in relation to disability issues within its policies and, as part of its routine procedures, will seek confirmation from Boards that development projects have taken into account issues such as disabled access requirements.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Scottish Health Survey	To include the collection of equality strand information including long term condition and disability	Health ASD	Ongoing	Data available on disability and long term conditions as part of the Scottish Health Survey
NHS Resource Allocation Formula	The revised allocation Formula proposed by NRAC will be implemented from 2009/10 and includes all of the costs of providing health services to disabled people. It also specifically recognises the effects of disability on the health needs of the population. It uses the Limiting Long Term Illness (LLTI) rate to help establish the additional health needs for acute services, care of elderly and GP prescribing. The index for the Mental Health and Learning care programme is adjusted to reflect the percentage of people claiming severe disability allowance. Looking ahead NRAC also recommended that issues of equality and diversity are considered in any future review of the Formula, ascertaining whether robust evidence is available and consulting on proposed recommendations with equality groups	Health ASD	Yearly from 2009/10	To ensure allocations are adjusted
Statistics Review	To ensure that ISD and other data collections provide data by equality group, including disability where appropriate.	Health ASD	Ongoing	More data available on disability and long term conditions
Community Care Data Collections	To ensure that the collection of data made by ASD across community care includes disability and long term illness where appropriate e.g. Register Blind and Partially Sighted http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/26140228/1	Health ASD	Ongoing	High quality data available on disability and long term conditions
Supporting Health Directorates in using high quality evidence across the equality strands, including disability	Any entry in this disability equality scheme from the Health Directorates which has a evidence need will be supported in some way by Health ASD. These items have not been duplicated under the Health Finance entry as they are lead by other part of the Health Directorates.	Health ASD	Ongoing	Data and evidence needs are addressed across the Health Directorates with attention to equality groups including disability.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
PEDA (pre-expenditure delivery assessment)	To include equalities within the PEDA form submission process	Health ASD	Ongoing	Equalities are addressed as part of pre expenditure assessments within the Health Directorates
Supporting Health Directorates in using high quality evidence across the equality strands, including disability	Any entry in this disability equality scheme from the Health Directorates which has a evidence need will be supported in some way by Health ASD. These items have not been duplicated under the Health Finance entry as they are lead by other part of the Health Directorates.	Health ASD	Ongoing	Data and evidence needs are addressed across the Health Directorates with attention to equality groups including disability.
Capital and Property Planning Division to seek confirmation from NHS Boards that development projects have taken into account issues such as disabled access requirements and that Boards have carried out an Equality Impact Assessment.	Seek confirmation from NHS Boards as stated - already embedded as part of the Capital and Property Division's routine procedures.	Members of Capital and Property Planning Division	Ongoing - and already embedded in routine procedures.	NHS Boards confirm that developments projects have taken account of issues such as disabled access requirements and that they have carried out the necessary EQIAs.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Name of Directorate or Agency

HEALTH WORKFORCE DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency responsibility

The Health Workforce Directorate is here to protect, promote and improve the health, quality of life and wellbeing of people in Scotland by working with NHSScotland to build a world class workforce for NHSScotland. We work closely with Ministers, NHSScotland employers, NHSScotland employees and their representatives, as well as the wider public, to develop policy and practice that will help achieve this.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps deliver the Government's national purpose and outcomes

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The close working relationships between Health Workforce and HR Directors allows the Directorate to have a live and evolving understanding of issues faced by disabled people in NHS boards.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected outcomes
Recruitment	Monitor NHS employers recruitment process and issue guidance as required to ensure the process remains barrier free (developed in conjunction with representatives from staff and Employers forum on disability)	Reputation and Attraction Unit	ongoing	Barrier free recruitment - increased application from, and employment of, disabled people
Develop and target advertising and PR specifically for disabled people	Reputation and Attraction Unit	ongoing	Increased number of enquiries from disabled people about careers in NHS Scotland
All national careers campaigns to include positive portrayal of disabled people, improved website accessibility, use of subtitles in TV campaigns, availability of text phones and other communication methods	Reputation and Attraction Unit	ongoing	Increased number of enquiries from disabled people about careers in NHS Scotland Improved perception among disabled people that NHS Scotland is good employer that takes account of staff needs
Consultations/ publications	All events, websites and publications will be accessible, promote equality and provide positive portrayal of disability	Heads of Division within Health Workforce	On going	improved access to events, information and increased engagement of disabled people

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected outcomes
All	Maintain membership of Employers Forum on Disability. Maintain dialogue with, and seek guidance from, Equality and Human Rights Commission as appropriate	Heads of Division within Health Workforce	On going	Policies and functions designed, developed and delivering better outcomes for disabled people
	Equality Impact Assessment forming part of policy development processes including engagement with representatives from disabled groups	Heads of Division within Health Workforce	On going	Policies and functions designed, developed and delivering better outcomes for disabled people
	Senior staff and Ministers take opportunities for engagement with disability groups/events and issues. Ensure positive disability messages are included in speeches	Heads of Division within Health Workforce	On going	Better understanding of disabled peoples needs and aspirations to improved policy development and delivery
	Policies to include options to maximise the potential of disabled people	Heads of Division within Health Workforce	On going	Policies and functions designed, developed and delivering better outcomes for disabled people

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Healthcare Policy & Strategy

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

The Directorate covers a broad range of patient facing responsibilities including; child health; maternal health; healthcare quality and patient safety; palliative care; NHS complaints; equality & diversity policy; public involvement; patient rights; patient information; sponsorship of the Scottish Health Council; cancer & genetics; long-term conditions and healthcare planning.

The Directorate also has responsibility for the e-Health strategy and for Group Finance

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Healthcare Policy & Strategy has a significant role to play in tackling discrimination and disadvantage and in promoting equality for disabled people. We recognise that many disabled people experience unequal access to our services and unequal health outcomes that are a result of their needs not being considered in the design, development and delivery of our services. We are committed to tackling these issues by involving disabled people in our processes at an early stage and by measuring progress through improved outcomes for disabled people.

Fair for All - Disability, the Directorate's national initiative to support NHS Scotland understand and respond to disability issues, has worked with people with a disability and NHS staff to develop a shared vision that improved access to health provision for disabled people cannot be led by legislation alone. Improving access is not just about the built environment: it is about developing inclusive attitudes and practices that permeate every aspect of services so that the people we serve have their individual needs and circumstances recognised. 'Achieving Fair Access' Fair for All - Disability's guidance was developed with extensive involvement of disabled people and part of our commitment is to ensure this guidance is implemented systematically across the NHS. As Fair for All moves to a new integrated Directorate of Equalities & Planning within NHS Health Scotland, we will monitor progress to ensure disabled people's needs are met.

While each NHS Board will publish their own Disability Equality Schemes, in recognition of the relationship between the Health Department's strategic role and NHS Boards' role in the delivery of services, we are implementing a 'whole system' approach to equality, including disability equality, across our key clinical priorities of Cancer, CHD/Stroke and Mental Health. This is being developed in collaboration with Better Together our national Patient Experience Programme.

The development of our e-Health strategy also provides an opportunity to improve services for disabled people, through developing systems where information on patients' individual needs and circumstances can be effectively communicated across different parts of the health system, ensuring smooth transitions between services that provide appropriate and accessible healthcare.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

We have developed our evidence base through our Fair for All - Disability partnership. Fair for All - Disability have involved disabled people, disability organisations and NHS Boards in developing the evidence base as well as developing our response to these issues.

We know that disabled people are more likely to live in circumstances which put them at greater risk of poor health: poverty, unemployment, poor housing, lack of control, and poor access to goods and services are all known predictors of poor health, with significant costs to the individuals concerned and society.

When we talk about access to health services as being a major issue for disabled people, we are not just talking about getting into buildings, or about compliance with legislation, but also about the flexibility of services, communication and attitudes. When talking about access to services we know that:

· Scotland has an ageing population and the probability of having a disability increases with age. The average age of a person with a long-term condition or disability is 58 years and 70% of disabled people are aged over 65.

· 68% of disabled people have an annual income of less than £10,000.

· People with learning difficulties are also less likely to use diagnostic services: women with learning difficulties have fewer mammograms and cervical smears.

· Of 100 disabled people surveyed in Scotland, 44 considered a positive attitude from staff as having the most influence on improving their experience of accessing services.

· Of 832 blind and visually impaired people sampled, 55% required help in finding a seat in the waiting area in GP surgeries, yet only 26% received it.

· Of 866 deaf and hard hearing people who responded to a survey, 24% said they have missed an appointment because of poor communication such as not being able to hear staff calling out their name. Some 19% have missed more than five appointments.

· Nearly half of deafblind people sampled have undergone procedures (operations, injections, drips) that had not been explained.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Patient Focus Public Involvement (PFPI) launched Fair for All - Disability, a partnership with the Disability Rights Commission in 2003, to support NHS Scotland mainstream disability issues across their activities. 'Achieving Fair Access', Fair for All - Disability's guidance on mainstreaming disability equality across NHSScotland policies and functions was launched in 2007. We have quality assured NHS Board Disability Equality Schemes to identify areas for improvement Fair for All - Disability has now been incorporated into the recently launched Equality & Planning Directorate in NHS Health Scotland	Work will be undertaken to join up approaches nationally to ensure national / special NHS Boards and Health Directorates engage with disabled people in the design, development and delivery of their services and functions.	Patients and Quality Division and NHS Health Scotland Directorate of Equalities & Planning	ongoing	Improved access to healthcare for people with a disability Improved patient experience Disability equality built into all aspects of NHS
Directorate of Equalities & Planning will support NHS Boards to; mainstream disability equality into their work; share good practice and; provide targeted support to NHS Boards	ongoing

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.

Policy

Action

By whom

By when

Expected Outcome

Redesign of the NHS Wheelchair & Seating Service

Formal response to Review issued in January 2007.

Project Board, chaired by NHS Grampian Chief.

Appointment of dedicated Project Manager for 4 years

Patients & Quality Division

Patient & Quality Division

Patients & Quality Division

June 2007

October 07

Action Plan by December 08 for Ministers to consider

Oversee delivery of Action Plan in year one. Delivery of outcomes in years 2-4.

Advocacy NHS Boards are required to work with their planning partners to ensure that independent advocacy is available to all who need that support. Evidence from the Disability Working Group and Get Involved events confirmed that disabled people want this. Under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) 2003 every person with a mental disorder has a right of access to independent advocacy. SEHD fund the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance ( SIAA) to provided advice and support to service commissioners and providers.	Update guidance to NHS Boards to ensure that local provision meets the identified need for advocacy and that people with a disability are involved in the planning and design of local services.	Patients and Quality Division and Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance	May 2008 and ongoing	Improved access for people with a disability to independent advocacy.
Work with NHSQIS and Scottish Health Council to ensure that their standards/guidance and assessment of NHS Boards service delivery meets the identified local need for independent advocacy	Improved patient experience. The Better Together Programme will disaggregate patient surveys by equality groupings including disability
Cancer / Better Together IN 2006 we began planning for a 'whole systems' approach to our work on equalities that would assess all stages of healthcare, from policy and planning to frontline delivery of services, starting with Cancer, then rolling out across clinical priority areas. In 2007 work began separately to develop a Better Together, a national patient experience programme that would survey c ¼ million patients per year on their experience of health services (disaggregated by diversity categories), supported by an improvement programme to improve services based on these findings. To ensure our improvement work on cancer and Better Together was joined up we have been working to update our plans and will be ready to commence activity in Summer 2007. This programme is based on a wide range of evidence including the DRC Formal Investigation into health inequalities experienced by people with mental health problems and learning disabilities and evidence gathered, including patient stories, of the inequalities faced by different groups in epidemiology; accessing services; services delivery and outcomes in relation to the design, development and delivery of health services	A research project is drawing together the evidence on the inequalities disabled people face in relation to Cancer services.	Patients and Quality Division; Staff Governance Unit, Healthcare Planning Division, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, NHS Lothian, NHS Grampian, Better Together Co-ordination Centre, Delivery Directorate's Improvement & Support Team, Health ASD	Summer 2008	Action Plan to mainstream disability equality across services beginning with Cancer service pilot Evidence collated of inequalities experienced by disabled people in cancer services Equality Impact Assessed Policy sets expectation for the equitable and fair delivery of cancer services to disabled people. Share/develop best practice/learning Shared ownership of approach to improving the disabled people's access to, and experience of cancer services.
3 NHS Boards are currently recruiting co-ordinators to take this programme forward - this will include development of validated case studies of inequalities sensitive practice based on patient experience that will be disseminated across all Cancer services, then rolled out across CHD / Stroke & Mental Health	Summer 2008 - Mar 2010
The national Cancer Strategy, Better Cancer Care is currently being revised and Equality Impact Assessed	Summer 2008
The Better Together patient surveys will be disaggregated by equality strand, including disability, which will tell us if our actions are having improved outcomes in relation to patient experience for disabled people	November 2008
Patient Monitoring Monitoring disabled patients' access to health services and their health outcomes is central to understanding and responding to their needs and to ensuring that our actions are having an impact on outcomes.	Supported by the Equality & Diversity Information Project at NHS NSS ( funded by Patients & Quality Division) We will establish new levers to ensure we embed equalities patient monitoring across NHS Scotland, including establishing targets for Boards	Patient & Quality Division, NHS NSS Equality & Diversity Project, NHS Boards	Ongoing	Ability to monitor service use and health outcomes and address any inequalities for disabled people
A 5 countries meeting in April 2008 will bring together leads with responsibility for strategy and operational leads to agree an action plan and targets for achieving this	April 2008
Better Together Work is routinely undertaken in NHS Boards across Scotland to survey patient experience of local care and to implement learning from the NHS Complaints Procedure and other local feedback arrangements. However, Better Together, our new national Patient Experience Programme will tap into patient experience in a more systematic way. It will: work with patients and carers to determine what they want from the NHS use surveys and research to collect information on patient views and experiences build on evidence already collected through for example, our Patient Focus and Public Involvement work and from the NHS Complaints Procedure.	Better Together will survey c ¼ million patients per year on their experiences of health services - focussing on inpatients, GP services and long-term conditions in the first instance. Paper based surveys will be backed up by qualitative research methods to ensure that all communities, including those who may not be able to access written surveys, will have their views included. Surveys will be disaggregated by disability status, which will allow us to report on disabled people's experiences of health services and compare against other parts of the population. Survey information will then be used to develop national improvements across health services	Patients & Quality Division, Health Directorates, Better Together Co-ordinating Centre, NHS Boards	First surveys (Inpatients) expected to be completed by Winter 2008 and reports by January 2009	Evidence of disabled peoples experiences of health services Improvements in disabled peoples experiences of health services.
Patient Participation At present, patient and public participation in the NHS is assessed by the Scottish Health Council. Building on their experience we want to develop a clear measure of the level and quality of public participation across NHS Boards to ensure that it is based on the needs of patients and involves the public.	We will work with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, the Scottish Health Council, Public Partnership Forums and other groups, including staff representatives, to agree a participation standard for all NHS Boards covering future involvement of patients, staff and the public more generally. This standard will build on existing guidance on community engagement and reflect the needs of Scotland's diverse population. Standards will make explicit the requirement to involve disabled people	Patients & Quality Division, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, the Scottish Health Council, Public Partnership Forums and other groups, including staff representatives	April 2009	Clear measures for Boards to progress engagement with Disabled People
Patients Rights	The development of a patients' right bill in 2010 will include a strengthening of existing rights including equalities and human rights. As well as legislating for key patients rights, there will be a programme of work to ensure all patients are aware of their rights and how to have these rights assured.	Patients & Quality Division	2010	All patients, including disabled people will have a clearer more simple mechanism for understanding and having their rights met
Patient Information	By April 2009 we will introduce a National Health Information and Support Service to provide a single shared health information online resource which brings together quality assured local and national information from the NHS and other sectors, a national health information helpline available and a network of branded health information support centres, embedded in local communities. This will involve: 1. A consistent approach to produce high quality fully accessible patient information across NHSScotland 2. Information partnerships with key national voluntary organisations to maximise the benefit to patients from the high quality, patient focused information they produce 3. Clearly signposted access points where people can get support to find the information they need; understand the information provided and develop the skills and confidence to use it effectively in order to become an active partner in their own care 4. A particular focus on meeting the needs of those communities and individuals who have traditionally found it harder to engage with health services	Patients & Quality Division	April 2009	A single health information service on key conditions, treatments and services that is fully accessible for disabled people.
NHS Complaints	We have been working to improve both the quality of data that is collected by the NHS Complaints system and to pilot equality monitoring of complainants to identify trends and patterns in complaints by various categories including disability. We are now investigating the accessibility of the NHS complaints system to address barriers for those who might find it difficult to use the existing written correspondence based system and we will develop actions to tackle any barriers identified by this research	Patients & Quality Division, Scottish Health Council, NHS Complaints Officers	March 2009	Improved accessibility of NHS Complaints for disabled people, in particular those with sensory impairments or low literacy levels
Palliative Care	We will launch an action plan for cohesive palliative care services in Scotland during 2007.	Mark Aggleton	Oct 08	Particular needs of disabled people (patients, users and carers) reflected in the Action Plan.
Scottish Patient Safety Alliance and Programme	We will work with a range of partners to improvement the safety and reliability of defined clinical interventions to reduce adverse events by 30% and mortality by 15% by 2011.	NHS QIS has responsibility for the Scottish Patient Safety Programme. Colin Brown for the Scottish Patient Safety Alliance	Oct 08	Particular needs of disabled people (patients, users and carers) reflected in the work of the Scottish Patient Safety Alliance and Programme.

'Specialist Children's

Services'

A range of services which aim to meet needs of children with impairments and conditions. Consultation took place directly with service users and their families on specialist services, that informed reports on individual services, and a National Delivery Plan, into which the service reports fed, is itself now out for consultation

Child and Maternal Health Division

Ongoing

Improved outcomes for patients

Delivering a Healthy Future: an action framework for children and young people's health in Scotland'

Includes significant commentary on the need to recognise that diversity and equality needs to be better integrated into the planning and delivery of child health services. It is proposed to check the status of implementation of the action framework with NHS Boards in 2008, with a letter and follow up visits

Child and Maternal Health Division

Ongoing

Improved outcomes and patient experience for people with a disability

E- Health Strategy

Our e-Health programmes will be Disability Equality Impact Assessed

e-Health programmes and projects will be assessed by the relevant programme project boards as they come on stream on an ongoing basis. The e-Health strategy which will is scheduled for release in April 2008 will also be assessed

Head of Computing and IT Services

ongoing

Achieve key aim of involving the patient in the use and disclosure of their personal health information. Fully achieved: Procedures now in place. When a patient's Emergency Care Summary is accessed the patient has to give their consent.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Primary and Community Care Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

To work with others to deliver better and faster access to integrated primary and community care in Scotland, and to shift the balance towards independence and choice, so that everyone has sustained and improved (physical and mental) health and wellbeing, especially in disadvantaged communities.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Primary and Community Care directorate policies promote equality of opportunity and inclusion. Each strand of work impacts positively on people with disabilities and others who are in need of health or social care and support.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The experiences and issues for people with disabilities are well understood through representation of people with disabilities, service users and carers on the numerous stakeholder groups involved in policy development and implementation.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Implementation of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007	Implementation of the act provides for protection from harm for 'adults at risk', which is clearly defined in legislation and includes adults with mental health problems, illnesses or disabilities and people at risk because of infirmity. The principles of the legislation require any intervention to provide benefit to the individual, to have regard to the adult's views - and those of their near relatives and to also have regard to 'the adult's abilities, background and characteristics (including age, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, ethnicity and cultural and linguistic heritage)'.	Adult Care and Support Division and local authorities	October 2008	'Adults at risk' are protected from harm.
The Act's Implementation Group and Training Working Groups include disabled members.		ongoing	First hand experience and advice from the disabled sector
Awareness raising events to be run on our behalf.	Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability	Summer 2008	Greater awareness by the disabled sector of the implications of the Act
Communication activities including publication of an easy read version of the Short Introduction to the Act	Adult Care and Support Division in liaison with Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability	Summer 2008	Greater awareness of the Act by the learning disability sector
Self-directed support Self-directed support is a means of enabling disabled people to have more flexibility, choice and control over their social and health care by giving them ownership of their care budget. Self-directed support is designed to encourage independent living. Research has shown that independent living brings improvements in an individual's quality of life and emotional, physical and social health. The policy is therefore to increase the uptake of self-directed support because of its associated benefits.	A number of actions have been identified to be taken forward over the next 3 years to improve understanding about the means to increase the take-up of self-directed support. These include research into the support services available to those on self-directed support, research into the workforce provision, pilots to scope out best practice at local authority level and convening a roundtable to discuss means of joint working. All of these actions will involve gathering information from disabled people in terms of their experience of receiving self-directed support but also from those who do not receive self-directed support, and their reasons for not doing so.	Adult Care and Support Division	Ongoing basis.	Higher uptake of self-directed support and more disabled people benefiting from greater independence and therefore an improved quality of life.
Implementation of The same as you? review of learning disability services. This whole agenda aims to ensure equality of opportunity and eliminate discrimination for people with learning disabilities. It is a broad agenda and focuses on employment, education, travel and communities as well as on health and community care services. The national implementation group has agreed to focus on reducing health inequalities for people with learning disabilities and people with autism spectrum disorders, ensuring change for those with complex needs.	Managing implementation programme. Continue ways of working designed to obtain contributions from people with learning disabilities, eg national stakeholder groups have representatives with learning disabilities and families and carers alongside service providers and statutory organisations. Reports produced with easy read summaries.	Adult Care and Support Division	2010	Improved quality of life and services for people with a learning disability
Target health promotion and health improvement activity better to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities. This may require organisational changes, such as an enhanced role for learning disabilities Local Area Co-ordinators within community health partnerships, with national support.	Adult Care and Support Division	2010	Reduced health inequalities for people with learning disabilities
Scottish Enhanced Services Programme October 2007-March 2009 includes option of services for adults with learning disabilities in primary care	12 Boards have selected this option for commissioning. For participating general practices, this requires them to maintain a database of adults with learning disabilities on their practice list, to address training and awareness of practice staff and barriers to access for these patients. It also requires there to be a named liaison person for each practice who will ensure good liaison with local specialist learning disability services and with social services. Boards are also required to develop and action plan for a system of health checks for adults with learning disabilities, working with CHPs, GP practices and learning disability services. This work is progressing with the support of a national group looking at the model of checks, and implications for workforce, education/ training, infrastructure.	General Medical Services branch of Primary Care Division has developed the framework specification for this enhanced service. Boards have adapted this to suit local circumstances and needs.	Practice part of enhanced service rolled out from January 2007. Action plan for health checks to be complete by end March 2009 but pilots may be conducted before this date. Funding for health checks still to be identified and will in part depend on the model.	Patients with learning disabilities will have improved access to mainstream general practice and benefit from improved liaison between practices and community learning disability services, and improved awareness of their needs by practice staff. Routine health checks will improve detection of unidentified health problems with overall improvement in health and prevention of complications of existing illness. These two will bring adults with learning disabilities closer to the general population in having their health needs met.
Eye Care Review	The review will improve the quality and coordination of community eye care services in Scotland was developed with the involvement of people with a visual impairment. The final report recommended that service users be involved in planning services, and provided examples of good practice. In addition £2.6m of pump priming funding was announced on 2 December 2007 to help improve local services for the visually impaired.	Primary Care Directorate	Ongoing	Better services for people with a visual impairment
Equipment and adaptations Environmental barriers can limit the potential of disabled and older people to take part in mainstream employment, educational, social and recreational opportunities. Equipment and adaptations help overcome these barriers, having a positive impact on their and their carer's lives, and can influence the need for other care services. They help people of all ages to carry out ordinary activities of daily life that have become difficult or impossible due to impairment, ill health, traumatic injury, the effects of ageing or a change in circumstances. This work is being taken forward with advice from an external advisory group that includes disabled people and carers and voluntary sector organisations that support and represent disabled and older people.	Following on from discussions held with the stakeholder groups the review of guidance is taking a 'user pathway' approach to bring together legislation, guidance, policy and good practice across health, housing and social care in ways that will empower people using services, their carers, and those providing services. Where possible it will capture aspects from the report 'Equipped for Inclusion' and it will also be used as the basis for a mechanism to consider the impact of new policies on this revised framework as they emerge. This work: provides an overview of the community care process leading to the provision of equipment and adaptations for: i) People using services and their carers ii) statutory providers supports system analysis and informs process simplification embeds equipment and adaptations as a key component of community care across health, housing and social care focuses on adults Phase 2: Promotion and implementation. Possible proposal for future work for children, education and lifelong learning, and the workplace.	Equipment and Adaptations Branch.	Issued for consultation, 2008	Better outcomes for disabled people and their carers. Empowering disabled by providing detailed guidance regarding the provision of equipment and adaptations.
Mental Health Managing better the care and treatment of people who have a learning disability/co-morbidity mental health and challenging behaviour.	Addressing issues around the need for better information, models of care and workforce planning.	Mental Health Division	During 2008	To look at ways of making improvements to those people in assessment and treatment beds across Scotland.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Implementation of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007	Development and implementation of training strategy to ensure effective implementation of the Act. This will include a full impact assessment as part of our engagement in preparing guidance and information before the commencement date to ensure that all equality strands are embedded.	The Training Working Group, which is a sub-group of the Act's Implementation Group, in liaison with local authorities and their partners	Stage 1 by October 2008 which is the Act's commencement date.	Equality strands embedded in all training material.
All Our Futures: Planning for a Scotland with an Ageing Population	We will consider disability equality issues within the context of the Government's wide ranging action plan for Scotland's ageing population, including an Anti-Ageism Campaign	Community Care Division	Anti-Ageism Campaign launched by summer 2007. Other work will be on-going	Raised awareness of ageism issues and a positive agenda for Scotland's ageing population
Respite care - new guidance	We are conducting an equality impact assessment as part of the development of the new guidance on respite care.	Community Care Division	Guidance to be issued spring or summer 2008	Better access to respite for those from equality groups
Carer information strategies	We are conducting an equality impact assessment of the carer information strategy policy.	Community Care Division	On-going	Better access to carer information and training for those from equality groups
National Strategy for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse	To work with National Reference Group to identify specific positive action to ensure implementation of the strategy is accessible to people with disabilities. This will include specific consultation in developing the communications strategy.	Adult Care and Support Team	By November 2008	Better awareness of the strategy amongst disability organisations and better understanding equality amongst mainstream services.
Community Pharmacy	The community pharmacy contract makes provision for new services, including services targeted specifically at support for: (i) frail elderly people (ii) persons with severe and enduring mental health conditions; and (iii) provision of compliance aids for vulnerable patients who otherwise would have difficulty in identifying when, what and how many medicines they should take.	Primary Care Division	Ongoing	Better services for people with a disability
Improving Primary Care Infrastructure - Premises	Funding and guidance has been provided to secure compliance with the DDA across the primary care estate. We have introduced guidance to ensure that the needs of people with dementia are considered in the Design of new Primary Care premises. We will use Joint Venture initiatives, which provide services that span the health and local authority sectors to widen service access to minority and/or relatively deprived communities.	Primary Care Directorate	Ongoing	Improved access and better experience for people with a disability
Dental Services A number of initiatives are targeted at meeting DDA requirements and improving the care offered to disabled people	Practice improvement funding supports general dental practitioners address DDA requirements. Scottish Dental Access Initiative grants require dentists setting up or expanding NHS practices to comply with the DDA - to be extended to offer specific grants to relocate to better quality and more suitable practice premises which meet DDA requirements. Specific fees paid to practitioners for domiciliary visits to patients who are unable to leave home unaccompanied because of physical or mental illness or disability. The new career structure for the Community Dental Services includes senior posts related to the provision of GDS to patients with special needs or who are medically compromised. The new consolidated National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Scotland) Regulations will enable dentists to choose to undertake a less complete range of general dental services where this is necessary through physical or mental illness or disability.	Primary Care Directorate	Ongoing	Improved safety, access and outcomes for disabled people
Mental Health There is significant evidence that people with mental health problems experience discrimination from health care providers (In one study, 44% of respondents reported discrimination from GPs, 32% from other health services - De Ponte, 2000) in that physical illnesses were not taken seriously or attributed to mental distress. The DDA prohibits discrimination against disabled people in recruitment and employment, yet research consistently records that, generally, people with mental health problems experience barriers in retaining and/or gaining access to employment.	Work to ensure all providers of care and the public more generally adopt behaviours which support and embrace the agenda around promoting equality, non-discrimination, social inclusion and equal rights	Mental Health Division	Ongoing	Better public understanding of, and less stigmatising of people with mental health problems and better outcomes for users of mental health services
Training for staff and peer workers to recognise and respond to inequalities, including disability equality	Mental Health Division working with Scottish Recovery Network	Ongoing	Improved experience of services
Develop robust mechanism to measure progress	Mental Health Division	Ongoing	Evidence of improved service user outcomes and experience
The Equal Minds report brought together evidence of the mental health inequalities experienced by disabled people and laid out the implications for policy and practice. A new Mental Health Delivery Plan ( MHDP) has been with a focus on inclusion and equality issues.	MHDP Commitment: We will develop a tool to assess the degree to which organisations and programmes meet our expectations in respect of equality, social inclusion, recovery and rights.	Mental Health Division working with Scottish Recovery Network	The tool will be piloted in 2007/08 and be in general use by 2010.	Services being delivered in a manner that better addresses disability equality issues.
MHDP Commitment We will improve the physical health of those with severe and enduring mental illness by ensuring that every such patient where possible and appropriate has a physical health assessment at least once every 15 months.	Mental Health Division	Consultation out until end of May 2008	Better physical health outcomes for those with mental illness.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Public Health & Wellbeing

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Public Health and Wellbeing Directorate has responsibility for a diverse range of policies that are centred around improving and sustaining the health and well-being of the people of Scotland. This includes public health and health protection, health improvement, sport, social inclusion and equalities.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Public Health & Wellbeing Directorate is very firmly committed to the promotion of disability equality and ensuring the needs of disabled people are taken into consideration in the development of policies.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The issues and experiences for disabled people vary considerably across the Directorate. Evidence and discussions with disabled people about health issues have indicated they can experience more ill-health than others and benefit less from health system activities such as screening programmes and health promotion. For example women with learning difficulties make less use of screening - mammograms and cervical smears.

We also know that disabled people are more likely to live in poverty than non-disabled people (68% of disabled people have an annual income of less than £10,000).

And we know that disabled people face barriers which can prevent access to public services, and which can prevent them from participating in public life and the life of their communities.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Sexual Health To inform action within the Sexual Health Strategy "Respect & Responsibility", an evidence review on the sexual health and wellbeing of young people with learning difficulties has been commissioned by NHS Health Scotland. This will harness diverse forms of evidence, including the voices of young people themselves and emerging findings form practice, in what is a very new field.	The intention is for the findings from this work to be grounded in current policy and practice thinking. Health Scotland will prepare a briefing paper based on the findings identifying areas for further action and recommending to organisation how they might take this forward.	Public Health & Substance Misuse	Completed and is now being considered by Scottish Government officials.	Improved awareness and practice in this area.
Tackling Health Inequalities	Co-ordinating implementation of the report of the Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities. This includes action to tackle low income and lack of employment, promoting inequalities-sensitive practice in public services, and specific issues such as self-directed support. Keep well programmes in both waves are obliged to equality impact assess their proposals, and have to report on their endeavours each quarter.	Health Improvement	Continuing - timescales for recommendations vary. Ongoing	Reduction in health inequalities, including for disabled people. Better health data to identify health outcomes for disabled people. The design and delivery of systems of engagement which recognise and respond to different barriers to accessing services. Reduction in health inequalities, including for disabled people.
Development of framework for tackling poverty, inequality and deprivation	We are specifically considering the needs of people with disabilities as a vulnerable group within the context of this framework and will impact assess its contents for their interests. We are also publishing an easy read version of our discussion paper on poverty, inequality and deprivation for people with learning disabilities, and will examine the need for different versions of the framework to be produced to address the needs of different disabled groups.	Social Inclusion	Easy-read version of discussion paper within next three weeks. Framework to be published by the end of the calendar year.	Better access and engagement with government process for developing policy for people with learning disabilities. Specific consideration given to addressing the needs of people with disabilities in developing cross-governmental policy on tackling poverty, inequality and deprivation.
The Equity Standard for Sport The Framework enables sports bodies to assess performance and ensure continuous improvement. It is a key element of sportscotland's Ethics Programme and bodies are expected to demonstrate actions taken and planned in all funding applications. This is a pre-requisite for ongoing funding.	The Equity Standard for Sport is a key element of Scottish sport's Ethics Programme. It provides a framework for our sports governing bodies and other sports organisations to progress and achieve equity targets within their strategic plan and to contribute to the delivery of the sports strategy, Reaching Higher.	Sport	Ongoing Staged implementation across all sports governing bodies with sportscotland evaluating and validating achievements.	Improvements for disabled people's access to sport.
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games	SG working closely with its partners; the Organising Company (OC), Glasgow City Council and the Commonwealth Games Council to deliver an inclusive Games. OC is responsible for delivery of Games and SG working with all partners to ensure planning continues to engage representative groups and addresses disability equality across key issues, for example - Games Village; accommodation; venues; and transport. 5 venues have access for elite athletes with a disability for training and competition. Expectation that at least 4 events will be held for elite athletes with a disability, although this decision lies ultimately with Commonwealth Games Federation in consultation with 2014 partners and IOC Paralympic Committee. In terms of 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy, all equality groups, including disability groups, are being consulted as part of the "Glasgow 2014 - Delivering a lasting legacy for Scotland" consultation process which First Minister and other Glasgow 2014 partners launched on 15 February 2007. We are currently confirming the membership of the Scottish Legacy Board and its supporting sub groups to help develop and deliver a Games Legacy Plan and we will ensure that the interests of all equality groups, including people with a physical or learning disability, are represented.	Sport	By 23 July - 3 August 2014; "Games Time" Ongoing - "Games Legacy" 2008: end of written consultation process 9 May 2008; public meetings in May and June held across Scotland; draft plan expected to issue November/December 2009: expectation will publish Legacy Action Plan summer 2009	Successful, inclusive Commonwealth Games for Scotland which has engaged effectively with disability equality groups in planning and delivery across key partnerships to facilitate maximum access, opportunities and participation by spectators, employees and elite athletes with a disability. Delivery of benefits and lasting legacy from 2014 Games across SG's 5 strategic objectives; Wealthier and Fairer; Healthier; Safer and Stronger; Smarter; Greener.
Implement the disability working group's report (published November 2006).	Take forward action to deliver recommendations to promote disability equality including in relation to disability equality training, awareness raising and improving information.	Equality Unit	Report on progress at the end of 2008.	Disabled people have improved access to, and better experience of, public services
Involvement of disabled people.	Directorates and agencies will receive tailored support to help them to engage effectively with disabled people who have particular skills or interests in their area of work	Equality Unit	Over the next 3 years and beyond.	Directorates and agencies have effective engagement with disabled people
	Build capacity of disability organisations and disabled people. Discussion to be had with disability organisations and disabled people about the best methods to do this.	Equality Unit	2008	Disabled people are better able to engage with public authorities.
Make information and communication more accessible.	Implement and promote the Scottish Accessible Information Forum standards.	Equality Unit	Ongoing	Better access to information leading to greater access to and satisfaction of public services for disabled people.
	Continue programme set out in the roadmap to deliver improvements in linguistic access for people who are Deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing.	Equality Unit, via BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group.	Appoint new BSL project manager March 2008 and deliver implementation of roadmap 2008-2011.	BSL users have improved access to services and engagement in Government policy making.
Involvement of deaf and deafblind people	Support to Directorates and agencies to involve deaf people. Build capacity in deaf organisations. Convene a single focus sub-group of the BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group to produce a strategy for involving Deaf people.	Equality Unit and BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group.	By summer 2009	Deaf and deafblind people have improved access to services and engagement in Government policy making.
	Introduce ways of increasing the number of registered BSL/English interpreters and advanced BSL teachers.	Equality Unit and BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group.	Ongoing	Double the number of BSL registered interpreters by 2012 (based on a starting point of 39 in 2002). Increase the number of advanced BSL learners.
Independent Living	Take forward activity to promote independent living in Scotland. Action will be developed in partnership with disability organisations.	Equality Unit	Plans announced by summer 2008.	Disabled people have more choice and control over their lives and are able to live independently.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Alcohol strategy	Preparation of an EQIA, including disability issues	Public Health, Alcohol Misuse Team	Before publication of finalised strategy, late 2008	Policy which takes due account of disability considerations
Social Inclusion	Disability equality assessment to be made of each organisation with whom we agree provision of grants.	Social Inclusion Division	From now	Disability equality embedded within practices of grant recipient bodies.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Housing and Regeneration (HAR) Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

HAR is responsible for developing and delivering the Scottish Government's policies for housing and regeneration. The expenditure programmes for which the Directorate is responsible contribute to the Government's Purpose and Strategic Objectives by increasing the supply of good quality, sustainable housing and by supporting large-scale projects to achieve the comprehensive regeneration of targeted areas. In addition, the Directorate works with local government and other partners to prevent and tackle homelessness; provide housing support services to enable vulnerable people to live independently in their own homes; and to provide targeted regeneration action to tackle poverty in the most disadvantaged communities.

On this occasion, HAR's Action Plan also includes the newly formed agency, the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR). The agency which was launched on April 1 2008, regulates registered social landlords and the landlord and homelessness functions of local authorities. The SHR's purpose is to regulate to:

protect the interests of current and future tenants, and other service users;
ensure the continuing provision of good quality social housing, in terms of decent homes, good services, value for money, and financial viability; and

maintain the confidence of funders.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Because much of our work involves working with and for communities that are likely to experience disproportionate levels of disadvantage, we are committed to ensuring we do all we can to promote equality and respect diversity.

We are committed to making sure that the policies, procedures and services that we lead or influence make a positive contribution to improving the experiences that disabled people face. This will involve staff awareness and training and highlighting to the organisations we work with that they too have statutory duties to promote disability equality. We will take positive action to eliminate discrimination and inequality in our policies. We will use evidence to help us to understand the needs and experiences of disabled people.

We are committed to undertaking Equality Impact Assessments for all new and developing policy, and involving disabled people when appropriate. Where Equality Impact Assessments identify the need for specific actions to be taken to ensure the needs of disabled people are met we will put these in place. We are also undertaking work to ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities under the equality duties

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Introduction of the Home Report	We have worked with Ownership Options in Scotland to develop accessibility information for inclusion in the mandatory Single Survey for second-hand house sales when it is launched on 1st December 2007.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Markets and Supply Division: Home Report Implementation Team	1st December 2008	To raise awareness of the inclusion of the accessibility audit in the Single Survey. People with particular accessibility needs will be able (at a glance) to determine whether or not a property on the market suits their needs.
Assistance for house-owners with adaptations for disabled occupants	Consultation is to take place in spring 2008 on draft regulations under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 extending the scope of mandatory grant for adaptations. The draft regulations also propose automatic minimum percentage grant of 80% for qualifying works, rising to 100% for people in receipt of certain income replacement benefits. Preparation of the regulations and the wider statutory guidance has involved organisations representing disabled people, with particular input from Ownership Options in Scotland.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Markets and Supply Division: Private Housing Assistance Team	End 2008	New statutory duties, and statutory guidance, will lead to clearer and more generous provision of grant for disabled owners than in the past, and encourage local authorities to take a council-wide approach to assessing and meeting the need for adaptations.
Fuel Poverty, including Central Heating and Warm Deal programmes	Existing programmes are being reviewed. We will review proposed delivery mechanisms to ensure equalities and diversity issue are considered and included in all proposals. One of the target groups for the Warm Deal Programme are households with a child who has been awarded a Disability Living Allowance.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Access & Support - Fuel Poverty Team	Late 2008	EQIA report will identify any issues which impact unfairly on disabled people. These will be addressed wherever possible.
Homelessness - existing legislation gives all homeless people the right to temporary accommodation and those in "priority need" the right to permanent accommodation. Priority need categories include people who are vulnerable as a result of physical or learning disabilities. People with disabilities can be found to be homeless if their accommodation is not "reasonable to occupy". Statutory guidance sets out what is meant by this.	The existing data collection system (HL1) operated by local authorities, which collects information on all people who apply as homeless and track their outcomes, has been updated to include more detailed information on why applicants have become homeless, what their support needs are. If they are in priority need as a result of their disabilities the information gathered will give a picture of whether they have support needs and if support is being provided.	Housing & Regeneration / Housing Access & Support/ Homelessness Team and ASD.	Statistical bulletins are published every six months	A better understanding of whether the support needs of people with disabilities who apply as homeless are being identified and met.
More specifically, we are planning to amend existing regulations to allow greater flexibility in how local authorities discharge their duty to homeless people, resulting in access by homeless people to a wider range of accommodation (including the private sector).	In the public consultation which will shortly take place on the plans to amend these regulations, we will ask disabilities groups for their views; there are two specific issues which we will want their views on: a) under the planned changes to the regulations, will people with disabilities be able to access information on accommodation and; b) will people with disabilities be able to make use of the wider range of accommodation - such as the private sector?	Housing & Regeneration / Housing Access & Support/ Homelessness Team and ASD.	The consultation will take place in Summer 2007.	A better understanding of how our proposed policy will impact upon people with disabilities.
Supporting People is a funding framework for people in supported accommodation or in receipt of floating housing support. The programme was introduced throughout Great Britain in April 2003 in order to support vulnerable people in different types of accommodation and tenure in ways responsive to their needs.	Guidance issued ahead of the introduction of the programme in April 2003 identified the groups who would benefit. This included various disability groups. Annual Grant funding given to local authorities who arrange services through service providers. Collection of annual statistics on clients supported through the programme including disability client groups Research confirms that investment in housing support services more than pays for itself by savings generated elsewhere EG care and NHS budgets.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Access & Support /Advice And Standards Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Access & Support/ Analytical Services division	Each year Each year	Similar services for the disabled as for other groups To inform policy on who is supported by the programme
HomePoint The Scottish National Standards for information and Advice Services explicitly adhere to equalities and accessibility issues in terms of resources and methods of delivery (building accessibility, outreach etc)	We promote equality issues at seminars/ conferences and share good practice. We commissioned the Centre for Inclusive Living in Glasgow to produce a HomePoint publication called Access to housing in Scotland: Rights for Disabled People.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Access & Support /Advice And Standards	ongoing	Ensure that organisations we fund through the HomePoint project grants scheme demonstrate their commitment to equal opportunities and provide accessibility to all.
Affordable Housing Investment Programme	Ensure 95% of all new build housing funded meets Housing for Varying Needs standards.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Investment Division	Ongoing	Increased housing suitable for the needs of disabled people.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Strategic planning for housing Housing Need and Demand Assessment	Build equalities requirements into new guidance on local housing strategies. Undertake an Equality Impact Assessment of new strategic planning arrangements for housing, as set out in new guidance on local housing strategies. Review effectiveness of housing need and demand assessment guidance in helping housing market partnerships identify the housing requirements of specific household groups.	Housing and Regeneration/ Housing Markets and Supply: Housing Systems and Strategic Planning. Housing & Regeneration/ Communities Analytical Services: Centre for Housing Market Analysis with Housing Markets and Supply: Housing Systems and Strategic Planning.	End 2007. End 2007. Mid 2009.	Improved strategic planning, ensuring provision of suitable housing for disabled people. Improved strategic planning, ensuring provision of suitable housing for disabled people. More accurate assessment of housing needs of disabled people, leading to more robust strategic plans and provision of suitable housing.
Community Voices Network - for community activists and volunteers working to regenerate disadvantaged areas of Scotland	Actively promote the Network to all equalities groups, including disabled groups; Ensure all events and communications are suitable for disabled members, providing any necessary equipment; Complete an EQIA to ensure that the Network is inclusive for all community activists and volunteers	Housing & Regeneration/ Regeneration/ Community Engagement Team	On-going	Increased skills, knowledge and expertise on community regeneration through participation in the Community Voices Network
Empowering Communities	Policy development is accompanied by an EQIA. Focus groups have taken place as part of dialogue in December 2007, including Glasgow Disability Alliance. The dialogue showed that empowerment and equality of opportunity go hand in hand. Disability groups will continue to be consulted during policy development. We will continue to improve monitoring participation at meetings by disability and other equality groups.	Housing & Regeneration/ Regeneration/ Community Engagement Team	On going	Disability groups are involved in policy development processes. Improving evidence of how community empowerment includes minority groups.
Fairer Scotland Fund	This catalyst fund is offered to community planning partnerships in order that they can make accelerated progress for the most disadvantaged areas and vulnerable groups, including disabled people, with a view to regenerating communities, tackling poverty and improving employability. In the guidance for the Fund - CPPs have been informed that as part of an 'agreement' with the Scottish Government - they should demonstrate that communities of place and interest have been consulted on strategic deployment of the Fund. In the terms and conditions governing investment of the grant, Partnerships are reminded of their statutory duties in relation to all equalities legislation. In conjunction with local authority and CPP contacts on the proposed use of FSF funding, SG officials will ensure that equalities issues are raised and will seek assurances that such issues have been considered in drawing up the relevant proposals.	Housing & Regeneration/ Regeneration Division/ in conjunction with Social Inclusion, Workforce Plus and More Choice, More Chances teams.	CPP FSF proposals due by June 2008 Ongoing contact with CPPs on FSF issues. Annual progress report on FSF from each CPP.	As above -with emphasis on strategic deployment of the Fund
Supporting People is a funding framework for people in supported accommodation or in receipt of floating housing support. The programme was introduced throughout Great Britain in April 2003 in order to support vulnerable people in different types of accommodation and tenure in ways responsive to their needs.	Supporting People budget absorbed into local government settlement from April 2007. Local authorities continue to be responsible for the delivery of services from this now un ring fenced budget. Final guidance will remind local authorities of the need to ensure compliance with the equalities agenda.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Access & Support /Advice And Standards	Each year	Continuing similar services for the disabled as for other groups.
HomePoint The Scottish National Standards for information and Advice Services explicitly adhere to equalities and accessibility issues in terms of resources and methods of delivery (building accessibility, outreach etc)	We equality proof our main policies, documents and publications and web based resources include measures and standards written into web software to improve usability and accessibility for people with disabilities including visual and hearing problems (font size and audio functions). We ensure that issues on disability are included in local authority information and advice strategies.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Access & Support /Advice And Standards	Ongoing	Ensure the needs of disabled groups are firmly kept in focus.
Homelessness - in policy development	We have carried out an EQIA which shows how our policy impacts positively on disabled people.	Housing & Regeneration / Housing Access & Support/ Homelessness Team and ASD.		Fewer disabled people affected by homelessness.
Review of social housing allocations policy	We will review current allocations requirements to ensure they are working as well as possible and deliver fair outcomes for the vulnerable groups that depend upon them. Reflecting equality considerations will be a key part of the review and we will undertake an EQIA during it; and ensure that we gather disabled people's views. The review may lead to new guidance on allocations, in which case this would include equalities requirements.	Housing & Regeneration/ Social Housing Division	By end 2009	Ensure that social housing allocations promote equality of opportunity for disabled people and take account of disabled persons' disabilities
Development of policy on value of social housing.	The housing discussion document Firm Foundations outlined a series of proposals for improving the value that social landlords provide for their tenants and taxpayers. These include modernising the regulation of social housing and securing better value for public investment in new social housing. As options for taking forward these policies are developed, they will be subject to EQIA scrutiny.	Housing & Regeneration/ Social Housing Division	Continuing	Policies that define value for tenants in terms that take full account of what constitutes value for disabled people.
Affordable Housing Investment Programme	Ensure the organisations we fund demonstrate their commitment to equal opportunities.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Investment Division	Ongoing
Strategic Housing Investment Framework	Ensure the assessment processes for strategies of our partners include an assessment of their commitment to equalities.	Housing & Regeneration/ Housing Investment Division	ongoing
Mainstream our scrutiny of equality issues in the inspection of social landlords.	All published inspection reports to include a range of assessments on equality issues including disability such as physical access, access to information in appropriate formats and access to services.	Scottish Housing Regulator, Inspection Team	Throughout inspection programme for 2008/09	Holding landlords to account for the services they provide to disabled people.
Ensure the SHR website is accessible and available in different formats.	The website meets accessibility standards and functionality for disabilities and makes it clear how documents in different formats can be accessed. Requests for information in different formats are monitored.	Scottish Housing Regulator, Corporate services team	Throughout 2008/09	Straightforward access to information published on the SHR website.
Continue to provide landlords with easy access to up-to-date and relevant information on broader equalities duties including disability duties.	Self-assessment information on equalities duties is published on the website and kept up to date.	Scottish Housing Regulator, Policy team and Inspection team	Information published 1 April 2007. To be reviewed during 2008-09	Landlords have access to information that helps them to continuously improve their services to people with disabilities.
Collect and report on equalities information about our staff	As an Scottish Government agency we will ensure that we are able to report on equalities groups, including disabilities.	Scottish Housing Regulator, Corporate services team	Systems established by end June 2007.	Effective equalities monitoring systems
Correspondence/ published material	We will continue ensure our correspondence is accessible to equalities groups and to look for ways of improving access to information we publish by: o making our published material available in a variety of formats o ensuring our website continues to meet SG guidelines on accessibility o making sure the photographs and images we use in published materials reflect and present positive images of the diverse communities we work with producing material in plain English	Housing & Regeneration/ All divisions	Ongoing	Published information accessible to all disability groups

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

The Administration of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland was established as an Executive Agency on 1 April 2005 and commenced live operations on 5 October 2005 when the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 came into force.

The Administration is responsible for providing case management and hearing support to ensure that the Tribunal can, through the panels sitting across Scotland, determine the applications and referrals made to it under the Act. We work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that the administrative processes not only comply with the requirements of legislation but run as smoothly as possible to provide the best service to the people of Scotland.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

The Agency will ensure that staff are aware of their responsibilities in relation to disability equality, including the need to involve disabled people in policy making.

We aim to ensure that disabled people are involved in the development of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland and in the design, development and delivery of our services which recognise and respond sensitively to the individual needs and circumstances of disabled people's lives.

In addition, we also aim to counter inequalities related to disabilities throughout the Agency.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

We currently have one member of staff who is disabled. Additional equipment and assistance have been provided.

We have purchased a portable Hearing Loop System for use at our offices in Hamilton and at any of our venues across Scotland when required.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Training	Staff and members will have disability awareness training.	MHTS	Ongoing	Awareness of the issues faced by those with disabilities. Staff will be able to interact with disabled people in a confident and appropriate manner. Over 50% of Tribunal members have now attended a two day course on assisting people with learning disabilities who come before a Mental Health Tribunal panel. This was carried out in conjunction with the Scottish Consortium on Learning Disabilities, People First and our training provider. All Tribunal members will receive training on equality and diversity during 2008 whether they have already received this in another area of their work or not.
Recruitment	Staff and Members are selected with due regard to disability policy.	MHTS	Ongoing	Members and staff are recruited with disabilities to ensure equality.
Develop support for disabled employees	Dedicated staff will be assigned with the task of constantly reviewing and suggesting new processes to assist people with disabilities. New recruits are approached at Induction to see what, if any, additional equipment / assistance is required. Publicise to staff details of what additional assistance is available.	MHTS	Ongoing	Current internal and external processes will be reviewed and revised regularly.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
User consultation	We will involve disabled people in setting up Tribunal processes	MHTS	Ongoing	Tribunal processes and format is fully accessible to disabled people
Accessibility of processes and information.	Review systems and processes to ensure that they are fully accessible to disabled people. User documentation being produced to take account of their needs. Intranet is currently being developed. Investigate the possibility of further improvements to the website.	MHTS	Ongoing	All disabled stakeholders treated equally and able to access processes and information. Visually impaired readers will have easier access to information. Website is DDA compliant and is easily navigated and understood by all. MHTS will improve the facilities available to visually impaired people.
Promote positive attitudes towards disabled people	User consultation on format of Tribunals and literature. Include disabled people in promotional photographs. Encourage the appointment of disabled people as representatives on advisory groups.	MHTS	Ongoing	Tribunal and associated literature is accessible to all. Disabled people will be visually represented.

EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING

PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITIES

The Education and Lifelong Learning portfolio is responsible for government policy for further and higher education, community and adult learning and development, skills and training, and for schools, children, young people and social care. The portfolio contributes substantively to all our Strategic Objectives and is the principal driver of our smarter Strategic Objective.

The portfolio resources further and higher education through the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland and is responsible for policy relating to all aspects of lifelong learning, including science, skills, community and adult learning, and literacy and numeracy.

Our responsibility for the provision of school education and community learning and development is shared with local authorities, individual schools and Community Planning Partnerships, and is to:

work with local authorities, providing direction on priorities and measuring progress against those priorities;
support and encourage local authorities and schools through guidance, advice, benchmarking of information and specific support for developments, including workforce planning; and
provide guidance on the curriculum, the assessment system, the national qualifications framework and quality assurance through national inspection.

Responsibility for the provision of children's services and social care is also shared, both with other portfolios and with a range of service providers. The central Scottish Government budget supports workforce development and broader improvement in social services and the development of a range of policies and services for children and young people, particularly the most vulnerable. This involves working with, and through, local authorities and health boards as well as the voluntary and independent sectors that are largely responsible for the delivery of services. Our role is to assist service users and service providers by providing a policy and legislative framework, giving strategic direction and guidance and providing quality assurance through inspection and national standards.

PROMOTING DISABILITY EQUALITY

Equality for disabled people in education and lifelong learning is important in determining outcomes such as getting work and participation in society. We know that disabled people fare less well than non-disabled people in achieving outcomes from education and learning. The transition from school to post school can also be difficult for some disabled young people and disabled people of any age can face barriers to gaining employment.

We know that around 58% of disabled people have no qualifications whatsoever, compared with only 24% of non disabled people. We also know that the employment rate for disabled people of working age in Scotland is 47.4%, in comparison to an employment rate of 82.7% for those with no disability. Employer perceptions contribute to the difficulties that disabled people face. Supporting people to get into work requires a multi-agency approach across portfolios, drawing on social and community care, transport and improving health and wellbeing.

We will take action to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people by:

· considering options for a full legislative review of the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004

· supporting education authorities to address the requirements of the disability equality duty

· improving data collection on disabled children and children with additional support needs

· working with 'For Scotland's Disabled Children' (FSDC) to support their campaign to heighten the profile of and services to disabled children and their families

· supporting a 2 year Action Plan to be taken forward collectively by all Initial Teacher Education (ITE) establishments in Scotland to embed inclusive approaches to teaching for pupils with additional support needs (ASN), starting with dyslexia

· implementation of Workforce Plus, an employability framework for Scotland

· delivering 'Skills for Scotland: A Lifelong Learning Skills Strategy'

· reviewing the Disabled Students' Allowance

· updating of Partnership Matters, our strategic guidance for supporting the transition from school to further or higher education for young people with additional support needs

· implementation of changing lives, the change programme for social work and social care

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

SCHOOLS DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

To work with Ministers, our delivery partners and other stakeholders to create the best possible conditions for excellent school education in Scotland, so that all our children and young people can be enabled to become successful learners, effective contributors, confident individuals and responsible citizens.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

The Scottish Government's Purpose is: to focus the Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth

This purpose is supported by 5 strategic objectives- a Wealthier and Fairer Scotland; a Healthier Scotland; a Safer and Stronger Scotland; a Smarter Scotland and a Greener Scotland. Education leads on the Smarter Objective but the other objectives also apply equally. These objectives drive our education policy. We are prioritising early intervention; supporting vulnerable children and families; improving the learning experiences in schools; developing skills and lifelong learning; and promoting excellence and innovation in higher education.

Curriculum for Excellence

Curriculum for Excellence is the policy priority for the Directorate. It aims to transform the Scottish education system. Its fundamental purpose is to make sure that, through the best possible teaching, our children and young people are educated to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. In other words, we are looking to make sure that young people in Scotland have the knowledge and skills they need for learning, for life and for work. The Curriculum for Excellence is fully inclusive. It takes account of the needs and aspirations of all children and young people, including those who are disabled.

In terms of broad aims, Curriculum for Excellence is looking for better educational outcomes for all young people. In particular, the programme is seeking more choices and chances for those who are not achieving their potential, including those who are disadvantaged because they are disabled. As a nation we need to make sure that education delivers better results both for those who are engaged in it and for the Scottish economy to which they will contribute. Under the concordat with local government, the Scottish Government (SG) has provided £34.9 billion over the next three years (an increase of 13.1% across the period 2008-11) and reduced ring fencing to better enable local authorities to respond to local needs and priorities.

A joint SG and COSLA policy statement on early years and early intervention has recently been published. This is particularly important for disabled children and will aim to ensure that they start off in life with their needs recognised and appropriate support in place. The principle of early intervention will be embedded within a range of SG policies including Getting It Right for Every Child, More Choices and More Chances, and Curriculum for Excellence.

Disability

Our work and policies on disability underpin and help us deliver the five strategic objectives. We are committed to addressing the inequality and discrimination that disabled children and young people face. The Disability Equality Duty (DED) provides a clear framework for action to embed and mainstream equality in all our work and to involve disabled people fully in shaping policy and practice.

Having a key role in taking forward equality and disability policy issues within education, our Directorate already has direct links and close working relationships with many networks of disabled people and key service providers in the disability sector - eg Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Capability Scotland, and Children in Scotland. We know that involvement means much more than consultation. We are proactive in looking for opportunities in our day to day work where we can tackle discrimination and promote equality, and actively involve disabled people in setting agendas and shaping plans. We are also fully committed to building Equality Impact Assessments (EQIA) into business planning, ensuring that EQIA is carried out on all new policies and to influence change and policy development.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Our Disability Equality Plan has been shaped and influenced by the involvement of disabled people in SG stakeholder groups and networks in key policy matters. In addition, we are taking action on number of issues raised by disabled people at SG events held in September/October 2006 and March 2008 to specifically consider the SG Disability Equality Scheme. Education Issues raised at these events included the need for:

better awareness by teachers and pupils on disability discrimination/issues, including better training for teachers;

disabled people to become informed of their rights and provided with the necessary support for them to become involved;

provision of curriculum materials in alternative formats so that disabled pupils can access them;

improving accessibility to school buildings and environment ; and

better integrated working at both SG level, and at a local level on disability matters.

Some evidence and examples of these needs and actions are provided below. Further details are contained in our action plan.

· We have actively involved the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in developing new policy and practice. For example, EHRC is helping us develop new guidance and good practice for education authorities on accessibility strategies and the Disability Equality Duty. They are also helping us consider the need for further statistics to be maintained at education authority and SG level to provide more robust mechanisms and arrangements for gathering evidence/information on disability. We are highlighting the importance of disability awareness training for staff and pupils. This action is a result of EHRC research in local authorities indicating that some are having problems meeting their duties under the DED and that there is a need for better awareness, good practice and robust statistics.

· Schools Directorate contribute to a cross SG group of officials who are considering disability issues raised by For Scotland's Disabled Children (a consortium of 20 key voluntary sector organisations including Contact a Family, Capability Scotland and Scottish Society for Autism). From papers and discussions, we are aware of their concerns which include The Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 (ASL Act) and transition from school to post school provision. We will with them on an ongoing basis and they will be able to contribute to shaping policy and practice in this and other areas.

· The Disability Rights Commission (now part of EHRC ) were instrumental in the SG taking forward the key policy change still under development ie for Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland (ASNTS) to hear Disability Discrimination cases rather than in the Sheriff Court. EHRC and other stakeholders are, and will continue to be, actively involved as the policy moves forward.

· We are considering options for a full legislative review of the ASL Act 2004 over the period 2008-2009. We have taken account of the findings from an HMIE inspection of the ASL Act, Court of Session Rulings and a report from an ASL Advisory Group of key stakeholders which includes disability groups. There will be wide consultation and national events on any changes. Disabled people and groups will be actively involved in any policy development and changes.

· We have involved disabled people in advisory groups. For example, adults with dyslexia and with autism have been involved in advisory groups considering provision for children with these disabilities.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected outcome
To consider options for a full legislative review of the Education (Additional Support for Learning ) (Scotland) Act 2004) (ASL Act)	Will take forward recommendations and areas for improvement from the HMIE review of the ASL Act (report produced October 2007), and issues arising from Court of Session rulings. Will be wide consultation and national events across Scotland on any changes to the ASL Act, regulations and code of practice. Will actively engage disability groups and families	Schools Directorate, Support for Learning Division (SFLD) National consultation with any interested parties/persons	2008-2009	Improved education and support for children with additional support needs (ASN) and disabilities to help them achieve the 4 capacities outlined above
Extend the scope of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals (ASNT) in Scotland to hear all Disability discrimination cases in schools. Currently these cases are heard by the Sheriff Courts. This policy was instigated by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) now Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).	To take forward Scottish Proposals in the UK Single Equality Bill. Proposals were developed following a wide consultation and involvement of key stakeholders including disabled people and Disability Groups such as Disability Rights Commission (DRC), ENABLE, Capability Scotland and parent representative groups such as Govan Law Centre. All disability groups will continue to be involved as the policy develops.	Schools Directorate, (SFLD) Key stakeholders including EHCR, Education Authorities (EAs) and other disability groups.	Following timetable of UK Government Bill, due for first reading at end of 2007. Bill due to be passed late 2009.	Key benefits to parents and children - will mean expert body to hear appeals, less formal system, quicker more workable remedies, and more accessible hearings.
To improve the gathering and collation of quality and robust disability statistics at Education Authority (EA) and Scottish Government (SG) level.	Meetings to be facilitated by Scottish Government (SG) to discuss current data held on disability, links with other data collection systems and what further information is needed to fully meet EA specific duties under the Disability Equality Duty (DED). Changes to be made through the SG Annual Pupil Census. Small group of key stakeholders, including EHRC, set up to consider and take forward Data Changes. To be ready for SG Annual Pupil Census.	Schools Directorate (SFLD), EAs, EHRC.	Early 2008 May 2008 September 2008 onwards	Will help EAs and SG to meet their requirements under the DED, by enabling better measurement of the effects of policies and practice. Will improve planning and provision for disabled pupils in schools. Use of SG annual census will ensure uniformity of data collection across Scotland.
Ensure Scottish representation at major Disability events and involvement in research at UK and international level	SG will be actively involved in international disability research and data collections eg OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and PISA (Proposal for International Student Assessment). Scotland will work with Celtic Nations Autism Partnership to establish an alliance of interested parties to work together. For first time, Scotland is now represented on the European Agency for the Development in Special Needs Education. We will host next international meeting in Edinburgh.	Schools Directorate (SFLD)	Ongoing Ongoing April 2009	Ensure Scottish voice heard at international level and will allow larger comparative research studies on Indicators and outcomes. Will improve collaboration and improvements in all aspects of Additional Support Needs (ASN) and disabilities - share practice and experiences.
Consider how best to support Education Authorities to help them address their specific duties in the Disability Equality Duty	We will revise SG guidance on accessibility strategies which form a key part of EAs' DED. Strategies cover access to the curriculum, access to school information and physical environment. The guidance will reflect and link the current legislative context including DED. Will include good practice examples in EAs on taking forward the DED. Will encourage staff disability awareness training	Schools Directorate (SFLD) Small group of key stakeholders will develop guidance which will then be subject to wider consultation. EHCR included on Group.	Guidance to be produced by autumn 2008	Will result in more robust Disability Equality Schemes to provide a firm foundation for delivering improved outcomes for disabled pupils
To work with For Scotland's Disabled Children (FSDC) to support their campaign to heighten the profile of and services to disabled children and their families. The Group is a coalition of a number of key voluntary groups such as Contact a Family and Scottish Society for Autism.	Schools Directorate are part of a Cross SG group of officials which will look in a co-ordinated way at disability issues raised by FSDC. Have support of Ministers who have hosted events. Issues high on agenda include ASL Act and improving transitions from school to post school.	Cross Government - lead is Safer Children, Stronger Families Division	Ongoing	Provides a more focussed and co-ordinated approach. Gives disabled children, young people and their families the attention and services they deserve. Will help shape policy and practice on disability
Provision of materials for Education Authorities and Schools which will ensure that equality issues, including disability, are mainstreamed into the curriculum	We will work with CERES (Centre for Racial Equality)at Edinburgh University to produce Equality, Inclusion and Anti-discrimination - an induction pack for staff in schools	Schools Directorate, (SFLD), CERES, Equality Groups, education authorities, teachers and school staff	Summer 2008	Will assist staff in developing their knowledge in relation to equality, including disability, and will ensure the principles are mainstreamed into the curriculum to better support all pupils
To improve communications and provide better information to parents regarding their rights under the Education (Additional Support for Learning ) (Scotland ) 2004 Act (ASL Act) and disability legislation.	SG are taking forward a number of actions including - (i) Media campaign - The pilot exercise will take place in Dundee City Council and will aim to raise awareness of the ASL Act. Will include radio advertising, targeted postcode mail drops, and newspaper adverts. (ii) We are working with Children in Scotland to take forward a series of national seminars on - co-ordinated support plans; dispute resolution and multi agency working: and embedding additional support needs within social work and health undergraduate and professional training. Seminars will be open to all key stakeholders including disability groups. -------------------------------------------------- (iii) SG also fund a number of organisations to support pupils with ASN and disabilities eg Enquire, a national advice and information service , for parents and children with additional support needs and disabilities. Disability organisations are on the Advisory Steering Group; Govan Law Centre's, Education Law advice line for parents and professionals; Partners in Advocacy, who help young people with ASN and disabilities to self advocate on matters relating to their education Services will continue to be free in all instances. Information will continue to produced in different formats and languages	Schools Directorate, (SFLD), key stakeholders including voluntary sector -------------------------	The campaign will run from 21 April 2008 for six weeks Early 2008 --------------------- Ongoing	We will raise awareness of the ASL Act and the rights that parents have under this legislation. The evaluation will help to determine the shape of any national media campaign. Will improve quality of communication to parents, inconsistencies in CSPs and better co-ordination and support of agencies ----------------------------- Clear advice and support to families which will improve services for vulnerable and disabled children and families, and inform them of their rights
To consider how curriculum materials can be made available in suitable formats for pupils with a range of ASN and disabilities .	A stakeholder group representing a number of organisations (eg RNIB, Dyslexia Scotland) and local authorities set up to consider matter. Group agreed Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) will create a searchable database of adapted curriculum materials with links to resources which can be used by mainstream teachers for all pupils with additional support needs, available in all schools. Will tie into developments with GLOW. SG endeavouring to get the current school copyright licence, which offers copyright exemption for those with visual impairment, extended to all pupils with a print disability. SG to take forward project which will enable pupils to listen to digital curriculum materials spoken in Scottish voice.	Schools Directorate,(SFLD) Other external stakeholders SG and Centre for Communication Aids for Language and Learning (CALL Centre)	Pilot to be ready end of April 2008 Pilot to be extended if successful Ongoing 2008-2009	Will improve teaching experiences of pupils with ASN and disabilities Would directly benefit 34,000 pupils- means material could be shared and copied across schools Will improve access and communication for many disabled pupils - free on CALL website

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.

Policy

Action

By whom

By when

Expected Outcome

Curriculum for Excellence

To achieve transformational change in Scottish education through developing the values, purposes and principles of the Curriculum for Excellence Programme. This Programme is fully inclusive.

SG to continue to develop the new framework and guidance for learning and teaching to ensure that the curriculum, in its broadest sense, can allow for better innovation, flexibility, and inter-disciplinary work to ensure that children develop the 4 capacities (as at outcomes).

Schools will be expected to design a curriculum around a set of principles including personalisation and choice. They will be better placed to manage the curriculum to meet the needs of all children including those who are disabled.

Draft curriculum outcomes being released for engagement and trialling

National event to join up Curriculum for Excellence Programme; Getting It Right For Every Child and More Choices, More Chances agenda

SG will be consulting on proposals for qualifications at the Standard Grade Credit and General Intermediate 1 and 2 (SCQF levels 4 and 5)

SG, Learning and Teaching Scotland, HMIE, SQA , education authorities, schools, FE and HEI, employers

2008-2010

To mid-May 2008

10 June 2008

June-Oct 2008

Through best possible teaching, all children and young people will be enabled to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors

More choices more chances for disabled people. Ensures access to more flexible, varied and engaging vocational options in employment or training

Better co-ordination of all agencies to benefit all children

Including disabled people and families

School Design

Help Education Authorities meet their statutory obligations of the Disability Discrimination Act when planning and building new schools, which ensures they are fully accessible to all young people.

The SG issues a range of guidance on school design issues which includes advice on designing accessible facilities for children with additional support needs and disabilities.

The SG encourages authorities to consult widely and constructively with all users of schools to ensure the designs respond to user aspirations and requirements.

eg In North Lanarkshire, the Senses of Place: Building Excellence project worked with young people and teachers to explore how to create learning settings that would allow schools to reconfigure their space for different learning and teaching approaches for pupils with additional support needs

SG, EAs and other key stakeholders

ongoing

Increased involvement of disabled users and improved accessibility in new buildings

Teacher Education

To take forward specific action to improve teachers' knowledge and understanding of inclusion

2 year Action Plan to be taken forward collectively by all Initial Teacher Education (ITE) establishments in Scotland to embed inclusive approaches to teaching for pupils with additional support needs (ASN), starting with dyslexia

SG funding an Inclusive Practice project in Aberdeen University to revise and develop

new inclusive training courses for trainee teachers. Links to above Action Plan.

Continuous Professional Development, following recent talks with the SG, the General Teaching Council (GTCS) for Scotland has now added five new areas to their professional recognition framework, including autism and dyslexia. Competencies being developed.

(other 3 are hearing, visual and hearing and visual impairments )

Schools Directorate,(SFLD)

First Minister hosted Dyslexia Summit for the 7 Deans of the Faculties of Education January 2007. SG, Dyslexia Scotland and Deans will all work together to take forward plan

GTCS, Schools Directorate,(SFLD)

Other external stakeholders eg Dyslexia Scotland

Ongoing - to Conclude early 2010

Progress of plan by regular reports/ meeting

2005-2010

From May 2008

onwards

Will ensure trainee teachers have necessary skills to teach pupils with dyslexia and other ASN

Will provide clear pathway which teachers can use to gain recognition for their expertise in teaching children with ASN

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND SOCIAL CARE DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Developing and securing implementation of policy on Children, Young People, Social Work and Social Care capacity. Sponsorship of related national bodies (Scottish Children's Reporters Administration and Scottish Social Services Council). The Directorate has lead responsibility for policy in relation to children affected by disabilities and their families. This includes policy development specifically related to that group and for ensuring the interests of that group are taken into account in wider policy development.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

The Directorate is committed to ensuring that improved outcomes are secured for all children, young people and their families and for the users of social care. That ambition therefore is for people affected by disability as much as for everyone else. By focusing on outcomes as the test of success, we are placing strong pressure on those developing policy and on those responsible for delivery for ensuring that children, young people and their families are not disadvantaged by disability. That supports the national purpose in two ways: by maximising equity and by maximising the contributions individuals are able to make.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

We are conscious that our knowledge of the circumstances facing children affected by disabilities and their families is more limited than we would wish, and hence we suspect that as that knowledge grows we will identify areas where we need to develop or refine policy. We have recently established a team with clear policy responsibility in this area that will coordinate work across government that relates to children affected by disabilities and their families.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.

Policy

Action

By whom

By when

Expected Outcome

Policy on children affected by disabilities and their families.

Evidence: Issues of rationalising Government funding and support for families with disabled children raised as important issues through the Get Involved consultations.

New team established. Scoping existing work and identifying gaps. Developing plan of work and reacting to needs as they arise. Support for Children and Families Team has split into two team, in consequence developing an Scottish Government wide coordinating remit for children and disability issues

To provide greater and more flexible support to families with disabled children through extending the work of the Family Fund, a government funded independent charitable organisation which makes small grants to families on low income with severely disabled children, the development of clear guidelines to local authorities to stimulate uptake of direct payments to families with disabled children,

and continuing support

to vulnerable families with very young children aged 0-3 years including children and disabled parents under Sure Start Scotland.

Safer Children, Stronger Families Division - Children, Young People and Social Care Directorate

Ongoing

Increased numbers of grants to families with disabled children,

greater parental empowerment and control over services to disabled children and continued support for vulnerable families affected by disability.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Changing Lives	Implementation of the change programme for social work / social care laid out in the Changing Lives report. Note - user groups, including people with disabilities, are actively engaged in policy development and implementation	Workforce and Capacity Division - Children, Young People and Social Care Directorate	Programme runs to 2010	Improved capacity of social care / social work sector to support vulnerable groups, including those affected by disability
Implementation of Getting it Right for Every Child and the Early Years / Early Intervention Framework	Developing approaches to working with children and their families that prevent, manage and deal with risks, to secure improved outcomes for all children.	Positive Futures (Early Years / Early Intervention) and Boyd McAdam Safer Children Stronger Families (GIRFEC) Division - Children, Young People and Social Care Directorate	Both represent substantial ongoing blocks of work, working with a wide range of partners	Every child gets the help they need when they need it. Risks are prevented and managed. Outcomes are improved. Universal ambitions - therefore these outcomes apply to children affected by disability.
Children's Rights	Ensuring adherence to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.	Positive Futures Division - Children, Young People and Social Care Directorate	UK including Scottish Government will give evidence to the UN in autumn 2007. Longer term programme of work being developed	Rights of all children, including those affected by disability, are respected.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

LIFELONG LEARNING DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities

Employability and Skills Division

Enterprise and Employability for Young People Division

Further and Adult Education Division

Higher Education and Learner Support Division

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

A smarter Scotland is at the heart of everything we want to achieve for this country. We are aiming to achieve this by the promotion of excellence and innovation; positioning Scotland as a leading learning nation and increasing sustainable economic growth. In order to achieve this outcome the Lifelong Learning Directorate is committed to the promotion of disability equality. While we have a lifelong learning system and culture of which we can be proud we will continue to consider all new policies, including reviews and changes to existing policies, to ensure that we recognise people's different needs, situations and goals and remove the barriers that limit what people can do and can be. We will actively engage with our partners and stakeholders in order to know about the experiences of and issues for disabled people within all the policy areas in the Directorate. We will undertake key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement. Finally we will also continue to take key actions within the Lifelong Learning Directorate to ensure that disability equality is being mainstreamed.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Review of Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

As part of the ongoing process the Review Team have held telephone conversations with students in receipt of the DSA to seek their views on the DSA. The Student Awards Agency for Scotland have also undertaken a customer survey of students in receipt of DSA. The results of this survey are being fed into the Review of DSA.

The Disabled Students Stakeholder Group (DSSG)

A representative from the Higher Education and Leaner Support Division chairs a stakeholder group which comprises of the Scottish Funding Council, Students Awards Agency for Scotland, National Union of Students Scotland and other organisations such as Royal National Institute of Blind People which represent the interests of disabled students. This group meets twice a year to discuss issues which affect disabled students attending college or university.

Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) on funding support for disabled learners

Discussions with intermediaries who provide advice on funding to learners and prospective learners indicate that not all learners eligible for Disabled Students' Allowance are aware of the support they could get. This is one of the issues being addressed by continuing improvements to IAG provision on learner support.

Consultation on the principle of abolishing the Graduate Endowment fee

A response was received from Skill Scotland, the National Bureau for students with disabilities. They recognised that disabled students do not pay the fee and broadly supported its abolition. They did however make some comments about the potential negative impact on student support and university funding.

Maintenance Support in Further and Higher Education

Support, in the form of Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA), Further Education bursaries, student loans and HE bursaries, is available to all eligible students regardless of whether they have a disability. Skill Scotland and other relevant bodies are consulted when changes to policy are considered.

Employability

Around 19.8% of the working age population have a disability. However, the employment rate for this group across Scotland is 47.4%, in comparison to an employment rate of 82.7% for those with no disability. Employer perceptions contribute to the difficulties for those with disabilities. However, it is also the case that until relatively recently, welfare to work interventions focussed more on those who were economically active and little was done to support those claiming health related benefits into sustained employment. Although this is changing, there are still many Incapacity Benefit claimants who have little or no contact with employability services.

Although it is by no means consistent practice, there is a growing recognition of the need to involve service users in the development of programmes to help them into work. The Scottish Government (Social Inclusion Division) has provided funding to support research on service user involvement and pilot programmes which work with service users to establish their needs. Workforce Plus encourages local partnerships to involve service users in programme development.

School/College Partnerships

Skill Scotland participates in the main School-College Partnership Forum and provides appropriate advice on the interests of students with disabilities. This Forum meets twice a year and the group is chaired by the Minister for Schools and Skills.

Review of Scotland's Colleges

Skill Scotland have been active members of the Staffing, Learners and Learning Environments working group of the Review of Scotland's Colleges. The group's report, published in June 2007, considered a number of equalities issues in relation to both learners and staff in Scotland's colleges.

Skills for Scotland : A Lifelong Learning Skills Strategy

Each part of the Strategy covers very specific target groups from early years through to adulthood. In order to consider fully the equalities implications of each policy area on its relevant audience we will ensure that each programme underpinning this Strategy will be equality impact assessed across six strands (race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, age and religion/belief).

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) - a review of the DSA. This review is being undertaken as a result of issues raised by stakeholders, including disabled students, during the Funding for Disabled Students Project.	The aims of the review are to: § Consider the current provision provided to students through the DSA; § Identify any limitations with the current provision and support; § Highlight good practice provision provided to disabled students by institutions; § Consider what constitutes 'reasonable adjustments'; and § Consider draft guidance on what can and cannot be provided for under the DSA.	Lifelong Learning Directorate -Residency & Supplementary Student Support team, Student Awards Agency for Scotland.	Ongoing Review - due to be completed around winter 2007.	Draft guidance on what can and cannot be provided for under the DSA.
Partnership Matters -update of partnership matters guidance document. This came about due to a recommendation from the Scottish Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee's Disability Inquiry Report. A number of disability organisations provided evidence to the committee.	We are reviewing the guidance document to update case studies; clarifying policy; sharing good practice; encouraging uptake considering the options for extending the document to the university sector. We are consulting various stakeholders including SKILL Scotland on this review.	Lifelong Learning Directorate -Residency & Supplementary Student Support team.	Ongoing Review - due to be completed around late Summer 2007.	Revised/updated guidance document with new case studies. Extending the document to the university sector.
Complex Needs - reviewing the funding practices and provision of further education opportunities available to people with complex needs. This review was a direct result of the consultation responses (including those from families with disabled children and other disability organisations).	The aims of the review are to: § Consider the current provision provided to students with complex needs. Commissioned the BRITE Centre to undertake a mapping study, this will include consulting with special schools, people with complex needs and their families. § Identify any limitations with the current provision, funding practices and support; § Highlight good practice provision provided. § Consider next steps to improve the further education opportunities - in consultation with the Scottish Funding Council, Local Authorities, COSLA and other relevant stakeholders including disability organisations.	Lifelong Learning Directorate -Residency & Supplementary Student Support team, Scottish Funding Council, LAs; Schools Division.	Ongoing Review - due to be completed around late Summer 2007.	Better information on the further education provision available in Scotland for people with complex needs. Better partnership working to support students with complex needs.
IAG Improving information, advice and guidance on funding for learners in Scotland.	We have: § Developed and introduced through learndirect Scotland a national information service on funding § Continue to produce publications specifically for students with disabilities and their advisers. § Continue to support the Child Poverty Action Group Student and Benefits service for front-line advisers	Lifelong Learning Directorate - IAG Team	On-going Launch of learndirect Scotland national service on funding in February 2007.	Clearer Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) on funding focused on individual needs, provided through appropriate intermediates.
Workforce Plus is an employability framework for Scotland which seeks to increase employment rates and reduce numbers of people dependent on out of work benefits, particularly among people who are furthest from the labour market.	The strategy recognises that people with disabilities are disadvantaged in the labour market. Local employability partnerships are implementing plans to deliver more effective services. In addition, to provide national support at a national level, the Workforce Plus team is:	Lifelong Learning Directorate - Workforce Plus team along with Health and Wellbeing, Equalities, Communities and Social Inclusion	Ongoing	Increase in employment rates, particularly amongst disadvantaged groups.
	working with CoSLA on the development of national standards for supported employment;	Workforce Plus team in partnership with CoSLA	Supported Employment Task force to be commenced from April 2008 with likely first stage implementation of frameworks and standards by early 2009	Provision of a transparent and agreed framework of supported employment with standards which will benefit people with a learning disability into work and also employers; and Increased employment rates amongst people with a learning disability
	working with local partnerships to ensure access to employability services for people with learning disabilities;	Workforce Plus Team	Ongoing until March 2009	Increased employment rates amongst people with a learning disability; and Improved employability service provision for members of local communities who have a learning disability (more seamless service
		working with the Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health to provide support for local partnerships developing services for people with mental health illness; and	Workforce Plus team and SDCMH	Ongoing until March 2009	Increased employment rates amongst people with mental health illness; and Better understanding of mental health illnesses and employment by local partnerships, employability service providers and employers.
		working with Jobcentre Plus and NHS Scotland on a pilot initiative which places employment advisers within GP Practices and will see Practice staff make referrals to employment advisers.	Workforce Plus team with Jobcentre Plus and NHS Scotland	Pilot will run until 2010 with an evaluation taking place in 2009.	Allowing a key client group to be targeted which otherwise might not have came into contact with employment advisers; and Reduction in number of people claiming Incapacity Benefits;
		Ministerial Task force on Health Inequalities encompassing the Wealthier and Fairer strategic objective and focusing on enterprise and employment.	Workforce Plus team with health colleagues	Action plan launched by May 2008	Reduce health inequalities across Scotland.
		Work with Healthy Working Lives Team and Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives to Identify and support opportunities to create and improve links between services and promote to employers the benefits from supporting employability for people out of work as a result of ill health or injury Successful conference held in November 2007 between local health and social care staff and employability partnerships. Action plans developed for each area not being taken forward locally	Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, SG Healthy Working Lives Team, Workforce Plus Team, Jobcentre Plus, NHS Scotland	Ongoing	Ensure effective links between health and social care professionals and employability practitioners. Increase referrals of people with disabilities to appropriate employability services
	Staff Development in Scotland's Colleges	As part of a review of occupational standards for lecturers in Scotland's Colleges, and other relevant work, a range of new continuing professional development qualifications have been created. These include two which are of central relevance in addressing disability issues : a Professional Development Award (PDA) in 'Inclusiveness : Promoting Equality and Diversity', and a PDA in 'Inclusiveness : Facilitating Strategies to Support Learners With Additional Needs'. We are now working with the Scottish Funding Council and other stakeholders to procure related teaching materials.	Scottish Government, Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Qualifications Authority, Brite Centre, Scotland's Colleges	Teaching materials due to be created and piloted in 2008/09 academic year	Greater awareness among lecturers in Scotland's Colleges of best practice in promoting inclusion, diversity and equality of opportunity.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
More Choice, More Chances - a strategy to reduce the proportion of young people not in education and employment or training in Scotland.	The Strategy identifies young people with disabilities as target group at risk of disengaging from learning; local partnerships are charged with implementing the strategy in their target areas with particular focus on the target groups.	Lifelong Learning Directorate - MCMC team, Further and Adult Education Division, Higher Education and Learner Support, Careers Scotland; links with colleagues in Schools and Children, Young People and Social Care Directorate	Ongoing Review with local partnerships; good practice seminar on working with target groups to be held autumn 2008	Improved school leaver destinations (including for young people with disabilities); reduction in benefit claims.
Get Ready for Work - National Training Programme for Young People with Additional Support Needs	This policy is currently being reviewed to ensure that there is a route through which all young people can develop, this includes those with disabilities.	Lifelong Learning Directorate, Employability and Skills Division	Ongoing till summer 2008	Defined policy aim document to include those clients the programme is for agreed with delivery partners. Improved Management Information to be collected to better assess who is on the programme
Determined to Succeed (DtS) - the Government's strategy for enterprise in education.	Determined to Succeed (DtS) is an all inclusive strategy, aimed at ensuring that all young people have the opportunity to experience enterprising and entrepreneurial activities whilst at school. DtS fits well with the existing ethos of Special Educational Needs schools and proves to be motivational for the whole school environment, as evidenced in the recent HMIe 'Improving Enterprise' report.	Lifelong Learning Directorate, Enterprise and Employability for Young People Division	Ongoing	High quality, appropriate enterprising and entrepreneurial activities for all young people
( EMA) Maintenance Support in Further and Higher Education	Support in the form of EMAs, bursaries and student loans available to all eligible students regardless of whether they are disabled or not. Support is available to give all young people the opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, FE and HE. If any changes are planned to this support we ensure that we consult with Skill Scotland and other relevant bodies.	Lifelong Learning Directorate, Higher Education and Learner Support Division	Ongoing	Increased entry and retention to Further Education and Higher Education.
Workforce Plus is an employability framework for Scotland which seeks to increase employment rates and reduce numbers of people dependent on out of work benefits, particularly among people who are furthest from the labour market.	Workforce Plus is committed to mainstreaming key priorities currently being developed within the target areas throughout Scotland. This will include mainstreaming action plans by local areas on employability services for people with mental health illnesses and learning disabilities and rolling out the GP pilots initiative across Scotland.	Workforce Plus team in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health and CoSLA	Ongoing	Increased employment rates throughout Scotland for people of all abilities, including people with a learning, physical or mental disability.
Skills for Scotland : A Lifelong Learning Skills Strategy - this new skills strategy for Scotland provides us with the opportunity to set out our ambitions for skills, in a lifelong learning context, from cradle to the grave. The strategy covers early years provision, schools, further and higher education, work related learning and informal learning opportunities, as well as looking at information, advice and guidance and funding systems.	In line with the statement made on equality at the outset of Skills for Scotland, the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that each programme underpinning the Skills Strategy will be equality impact assessed across six strands (race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, age and religion/belief) and monitored thereafter to make sure that they are appropriate, to mitigate against any potential negative impact. This will involve engaging actively with our partners, stakeholders, target groups and individuals in order to evaluate the needs and experiences of the communities that they serve. We are developing a workplan for this and will start engagement and discussion as soon as possible. It is expected that a range of different mechanisms to assess equality impact and subsequent monitoring will emerge to suit each policy, and will involve analysis of information on learning provision for disabled learners.	The Scottish Government	Ongoing	A cohesive lifelong learning system centred upon the individual but responsive to employer needs.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISER

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Providing independent advice to the Scottish Government on its science policies, promoting science to the people of Scotland, and running a range of science engagement programmes including support to Scotland's science centres

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

The Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser commits to ensuring that the needs of disabled people are considered in all of its areas of responsibility. This mainly relates to ensuring that where grants are provided to bodies to promote science engagement, disabled people can participate, as far as is practically possible. At present we know nothing about any needs in this area and so we plan to study this and to implement policies accordingly.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Nothing is presently known about the needs of disabled people in relation to science engagement activity - hence the proposed £10k project to find out more about the needs of this group and to use the results of this to inform future activity.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Science Engagement Grants	We have allocated £10k to fund a study of how access to science engagement schemes could be improved to those with disabilities. This is at present only at an early stage of development	Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser	March 2009	A better understanding of needs of disabled people in relation to this programme which can be used to tailor new projects

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE)

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

HMIE inspects, reviews and reports across educational sectors and children's services and monitors standards nationally. HMIE works with stakeholders and partners to promote best practice, support continuous improvement and build capacity in the system. HMIE's principal activity is to promote sustainable improvements in standards, quality and achievements for all learners in a Scottish education through first-hand independent evaluation.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

HMIE's mission is to work with others to secure improvements in the education and wellbeing of the people of Scotland. As part of this mission, HMIE is strongly committed to promoting disability equality and tackling discrimination. HMIE will ensure that all its staff have disability equality training as part of our ongoing professional development programme on equalities. HMIE is committed to the impact assessment of its policies and practice. HMIE will continue to involve disabled people in the development of policy and practice. HMIE will work with its partners and stakeholders to promote disability equality and will continue to identify and promote best practice across the system.

These actions reflect the national purposes and outcomes.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Internal

We believe that the needs of employees with disabilities are well met within the organisation. We have identified a need, however, to improve how we manage the evidence we have about disabled employees and use it to make further improvements.
We think that we address the needs of visitors to the organisation effectively enabling them to participate fully in, for example, meetings. The disabled representatives on our Diversity and Equality group have, however, made us more aware of further improvements we can make. For example, shifting the location of meetings to a disabled persons' base; amending the timings of meetings to take more account of their needs; ensuring that catering requirements are checked out.

External

Inspection and review findings indicates that most staff providing education and children's services in Scotland have a reasonable understanding of issues relating to disabled access arising from DDA legislation. The evidence suggests that there is less awareness of the requirements and aspirations of the Disability Equality Duty. This is supported by feedback from SG consultation events with disabled people.
Inspection and review practice indicates that children, young people and adult learners have some understanding of disability issues but not enough opportunities to discuss issues openly and to develop skills and confidence in recognising and addressing discrimination and promoting equality of access. This is supported by feedback from SG consultation events with disabled people.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Human Resources (HR) Policy HR policy was updated in 2007 and equalities impact assessed in January 2007. HMIE runs many of its own HR functions but shares some (eg rewards and performance management and aspects of recruitment and selection) with SG HR.	Improve data collation systems	HR team working with Equality and Diversity Group. Contact: Kevin Mills, HR Manager.	December 2008	Information about how effectively we meet the needs of disabled employees is readily accessible.
HR Policy	Improve administrative guidance for staff responsible for organising meetings, events etc. to take better account of disabled people's issues.	CS Team leaders working with Equality and Diversity Group. Contact: Laura Burman.	June 2008	Improved, more responsive arrangements in place.
Inspection, review and reporting (IRR) policy IRR Policy underpins core functions and purpose of organisation, ie to inspect and report on standards and performance in the education sectors and services for children in Scotland and thereby secure improvements for learners and young people. Current approaches being revised for implementation by August 2007.	Inspection and review staff will undertake to hold discussions with staff in schools and pre-schools, colleges, education and local authorities and their partners about disability equality. These will take place as part of the planned inspection/review programmes and during scheduled meetings.	All inspection staff. Contacts: David Gregory, Lead Inspector, Inspection and Reporting. Jane Lopez, National Specialist (disability).	Ongoing as from August 2007. Review August 2007.	Increased awareness of disability equality duty from providers as part of the planned inspection/review programmes by August 2007.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Human Resources (HR) Policy	· Address issues arising from impact assessment. .	HR Team Contact: Kevin Mills, HR Manager
HR Policy: Workforce planning	· Ensure quality information and feedback available on disability issues to enable effective monitoring and continuous improvement to take place from following sources:	HR Team Contact: Kevin Mills, HR Manager. Jane Lopez.	December 2008	One stop source for all information being gathered on disability accessible for use
HR Policy: Induction	· Ensure that all employees and associated staff are familiar with disability equalities information and related responsibilities	HR Team Contacts: Karen Corbett, Jackie Crawford, Jacqui Horsburgh	Induction programme reviewed by August 2008	Induction programmes include disability equality. All new staff aware of relevant legislation and their responsibilities.
HR Policy: Continuing Professional Development	· Ensure that all employees and associated staff are familiar with disability equalities information and related responsibilities	HR Team Contact: Karen Corbett	Staged from August 2008 to March 2009	All staff familiar with disability equalities information and their responsibilities. All key groups have had EQIA training
HR Policy: Performance Management	· Develop staff understanding of equality issues and skills by building goals and targets into performance objectives and/or personal learning plans across the organisation · Ensure that all line managers are aware of the equality needs of staff they manage. · Ensure that arrangements for reporting and addressing concerns/complaints related to discrimination/diversity issues are clear to all employees and associated staff.	HR Team working with line managers. Contact: Kevin Mills	June 2008	All staff working towards equalities objective/s. Line Managers confident about staff needs. All staff trained in Dignity at Work policy.
HR Policy: Deployment and Planning	· Ensure disability issues are not a barrier to deployment within any areas of HMIE .	HR Team working with Manplanning team. Contacts: Morag Gunion, Jim Gallagher.	March 2009	Regular reporting on staff deployment. Staff report positive outcomes re deployment.
HR Policy: Corporate health and wellbeing	· Ensure all employees and associated staff feel valued · Ensure effective promotion of positive attitudes towards all colleagues and stakeholders · Use staff survey to monitor staff perceptions and understanding of disability.	HR Team working with Health and Wellbeing group Contacts: Donnie Macleod		Annual staff surveys give positive feedback.
Inspection, Review and Reporting (IRR) Policy	· Undertake impact assessment of all new guidelines	Inspection and Review Strategy (IRSG) Group Contact: David Gregory, Lead Inspector		All new guidelines impact assessed.
IRR Policy: Quality frameworks	· Ensure that all quality frameworks (7) take account of legislation and disability equalities issues · Ensure that all colleagues are aware of scope of equality indicators across organisation	IRSG group. Contact: David Gregory, Jane Lopez	March 2008	All quality frameworks addressing disability equality issues. All colleagues aware of scope of quality indicators.
IRR Policy: Inspection and review guidelines and procedures	· Ensure that inspection/review teams and managing inspectors in particular know how to apply relevant quality indicators when evaluating provision in establishments · Review and evaluate all related inspection/review documentation for stakeholders to ensure appropriate account taken of disability equalities issues · Seek out equal and balanced representation from stakeholders	RSG group. Contact: David Gregory, Jane Lopez	October 2008	All inspection and review guidelines and materials have been impact assesses to take account of the needs of disabled people.
IRR Policy: Reporting	· Ensure that equalities issues are reflected within inspection, review and reporting giving fair representation of race/disability/gender issues · Monitor, through internal quality assurance processes, messages emerging about equality issues and collate and publicise findings · Use Improving Scottish Education report as vehicle for thematic reporting	RSG group. Contact: David Gregory, Jane Lopez	March 2009	Reporting formats accurately reflect race/disability/gender issues
IRR Policy: Tasks	· Ensure all tasks take account of equalities issues	IRSG group. Contact: David Gregory, Jane Lopez	March 2009	Outcomes/reports from tasks positively reflect race/disability/gender issues

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA)

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

SWIA's main task is to evaluate the quality of social work services in Scotland through inspection or review and to advise the First Minister, the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government about social work services. Our function is to work with others to continually improve social work services by indentifying areas for improvement and disseminating best practice.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

SWIA is committed to eliminating discrimination and harassment and promoting equality of opportunity for disabled people across all of its functions and taking action to tackle disability inequality. SWIA works in partnership with other agencies such as NHS QIS in reporting to highlight concerns, list actions for improvement and provide examples of good practice in social work. These should lead to improvements in safety and independence so that disabled people can play a full part in their communities, including in learning new skills and in getting and keeping a job.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Results from Scottish Government Equality Unit's involvement work with disabled people provides detail on key issues for disabled people. Many of the concerns highlighted in the Equality Unit's involvement work are reflected in our action plan below. In particular:

awareness and access to services and information;
representation, eg user involvement on inspections;
promoting positive images and attitudes;
removing barriers to employment;
education and training; and
inclusion.

SWIA equality group surveyed all SWIA staff about disability equality, potential barriers and support. It provided information on the profile of disabled staff and carers and positive actions that could be taken. It confirmed that disabled people are under-represented in the agency; that we should take positive action to employ disabled people; make full use of flexible working patterns to support disabled staff and carers of disabled people.

Specific learning from disabled person work placement provided first-hand, practical experience of disability issues in the workplace.

The learning disabilities inspection (reported March 2007) interviewed 92 disabled people, many with profound and multiple disabilities. This and other inspection findings suggest the following areas to improve outcomes (action plans have been agreed with inspected councils to address these):

providing resources and support for young people with learning disabilities to participate in mainstream activities as far as possible;
ensuring that post-school progression to further education, training and work is planned, supported and appropriate to the needs of individuals;
continuing to provide opportunities for young people with learning disabilities to be active in their own communities and to be able to participate in the full range of lifelong learning opportunities;
developing more collaborative working practices to provide young people with learning disabilities and their families with a full range of integrated support services;
continuing to improve systems for the voices of young people with learning disabilities and their parents to be listened and responded to;
ensuring that planning arrangements are in place between authorities for young people with learning disabilities living in one authority area and attending school in another;
developing effective links with employers and training providers to ensure that young people with learning disabilities are provided with opportunities which enable them to reach their full potential;
a consideration of the social care needs, including respite care, of younger children with learning disabilities and their families;
an expansion of the work of the transition services to support more young people with learning disabilities, including those attending mainstream school;
investigating with colleges a more cost effective and efficient way of providing personal support for students with complex learning disabilities; and
clarifying the funding responsibility for providing transport to enable students with learning disabilities to attend college and the funding of their personal support.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Disability training & Awareness	An equality group has been set up to achieve excellence in our approaches, to promote equality and to meet our duties as a public body. The group has undertaken a disability/carer equality survey of staff and encouraged any disabled/carer staff to join the group. Actions proposed by the group are included below. The group will inform the Agency's learning & development strategy, publish meeting minutes and produce an annual report.	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing and subject to review. SWIA 2008/09 learning plan to be published April/May 2007.	Awareness and promotion of disability equality issues amongst staff.
We will review the staff welcome pack and learning and development strategy/plan to ensure appropriate information and activities on diversity, including disability equality, are included.	SWIA Corporate Services	Review to be completed by December 2009.	Awareness and promotion of disability equality issues amongst staff.
SWIA intranet will continue to contain links to relevant web pages and articles in relation to equalities including disability.	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing 2008 - 2010.	Awareness and promotion of disability equality issues amongst staff
Disabled service users were surveyed on satisfaction with services, we liaised with the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disabilities for the multi-agency learning disability inspection. They interviewed 92 disabled people, many with profound and multiple disabilities. Findings (provided in evidence of disability issues) have been shared with all inspection staff to enable dissemination of best practice and inclusion in future inspections.	SWIA inspectors and statisticians	Ongoing and subject to review.	Promote the views of disabled people in the development of services.
Access to Information	We will ensure that our communication channels are fully accessible to disabled people; by providing all publications in plain English, and alternative formats on request. SWIA's communication strategy stresses accessibility of information to disabled people. We will review our strategy to ensure it reflects the Scottish Accessible Information Forum's Guidance	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing. Review by March 2009.	Enhanced accessibility of services and information to disabled people .
An audio version of the inspection information leaflet has been produced for people with visual impairments.	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing and subject to review	Enhanced accessibility of services and information to disabled people
All SWIA meeting rooms are equipped with hearing loops and mobile loops are available for inspection fieldwork. We will ensure all events organised by SWIA provide augmented communication systems as required.	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing.	Enhanced accessibility of services and information to disabled people.
SWIA's website has been redeveloped to enhance accessibility and provide positive images of disabled people. We will review the effectiveness of these changes across 2007.	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing and review.	Enhanced accessibility of services and information to disabled people.
We will monitor the number of people requesting alternative formats of reports.	SWIA statisticians and inspectors	Completed, ongoing and subject to review.	Identify number of disabled people accessing SWIA information.
Engagement and Employment	Disabled lay inspectors will continue to be involved in future inspections.	SWIA Corporate Services	All inspections to mid-2009 and, ongoing subject to review.	Facilitate active participation of disabled people in the development of all policies and activities.
Disabled people are actively involved in the inspection process and their views sought as service users. We will continue to approach appropriate agencies who will be representative of a wider group of people.	SWIA inspectors	Completed, ongoing and subject to review.	Facilitate active participation of disabled people in the development of all policies and activities.
We will continue to recruit using Scottish Government standards, including the two ticks scheme. We will ensure our recruitment literature continues to encourage applications from disabled people and will use disability organisations to advertise vacancies i.e. Disability Now, Positive action for housing.	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing.	Promote and encourage the employment and appointment of disabled people.
We will monitor the number of disabled people applying for employment; actively engage with the Scottish Government in its work placement scheme; and actively recruit and provide appropriate support to disabled lay inspectors.	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing.	Promote and encourage the employment and appointment of disabled people.
We will build on the success of a learning disability work placement managed throughout 2006/07 that led to successful paid employment outwith SWIA by investigating disability placement opportunities to enable disabled people to develop their employment skills and support them to gain and remain in permanent employment.	SWIA Corporate Services	Placement opportunities as and when appropriate.	Promote and encourage the employment and appointment of disabled people.
	SWIA will make all reasonable adjustments to meet disabled peoples' needs.	SWIA Corporate Services	Completed, ongoing and subject to review.	Promote and encourage the employment and appointment of disabled people.
Education	We will work with social work educators and the SSSC to raise awareness of disability legislation and the implications for teaching, learning and student placements. We have ongoing formal contact with all Scottish higher education authorities to raise awareness of disability issues and bridging the gap between education and employment for disabled people.	SWIA in partnership with disability organisations	Event held Nov 2007. Further events to be arranged.	Increase of opportunities for disabled social work students and awareness of all students. Events organised so far have been positively evaluated.
Positive Image	Our posters, leaflets and website have been redesigned to promote positive images of disabled people. We will continue to use these methods to promote positive images of disabled people and encourage their participation in public life.	SWIA Corporate Services	Ongoing.	Disabled people are engaged and viewed positively.
Access to and delivery of social work and social care services	Performance inspections report on social work services for disabled people and make appropriate recommendations where required. Latest inspection published March 2007.	SWIA	Current programme to be completed mid-2009.	A comprehensive evaluation of services for disabled people across all local authorities and improved outcomes for people who use services.
	Our inspections will target and consult with a sample of disabled service users.	SWIA inspectors and statisticians	Mid-2009.	Promote the views of disabled people in the development of services.
	A multi-agency learning disability inspection was completed - report published in March 2007. SWIA is supporting stakeholder improvement action plans. Ministers have confirmed agreement to two further Inspections	SWIA link inspector supporting action plan delivery. SWIA inspectors	Summer 2007. Mid-2009.	Promote the views of disabled people in the development of services.
	Address disability equality issues through the Performance Inspection Model. Amend the PIM illustrations.	SWIA	Ongoing and subject to review.	Promote and support local authorities in improving the equality of social work and care services and compliance with equality duties.
	A quality indicator in the SWIA performance inspection model is "inclusion, equality and fairness in service delivery" SWIA will continue to report on equalities in this context.	SWIA inspectors	Mid-2009.	Local authority action plans in place and implemented to deliver improvements in social work and social care services for disabled people.
	Support local authorities in providing equality of access and delivery of services to disabled people through inspection, dissemination of best practice and supporting implementation of action plans.	SWIA inspectors	Mid-2009.	Improved local authority social work and social care services for disabled people.
Social Inclusion	Inspection reports reflect community safety arrangements and the partnerships between social work services, housing, the police and others. Last inspection scheduled mid-2009.	SWIA inspectors	Mid-2009.	Improved local authority social work and social care services for disabled people.
Encourage social work and social care services to provide mechanisms to enable disabled people to participate more fully in public life through inspection, dissemination of best practice and supporting implementation of action plans.	SWIA inspectors	Mid-2009.	Encourage greater participation of disabled people in public life.
Performance inspections and multi-agency learning disability inspections have a clear focus on social inclusion and a commitment to report on the extent to which services keep people safe and encourage independence. Last PI scheduled mid-2009.	SWIA inspectors	Mid-2009.	Improved social inclusion and better local authority social work and social care services for disabled people.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Inspection policy and procedures	An equality group has been set up to achieve excellence in our approaches, including EQIAs, to promote equality and to meet our duties as a public body. Performance and multi-agency learning disability services inspections seek to improve all social work and social care services, including those for disabled people. A quality indicator in the SWIA performance inspection model is "inclusion, equality and fairness in service delivery". Performance inspection model illustrations have been amended and will be reviewed.	SWIA quality group and inspectors	Ongoing and subject to review.	Improved services for disabled people.
Support and inform social work policy	We will collect, disseminate and promote good practice in social work service delivery and sharing this with policy colleagues in the development of policy on social work and social care services for disabled people.	SWIA inspectors	Ongoing and subject to review.	Disabled people's needs incorporated in policy.
Organisational governance	SWIA's equality group informs and guides on achieving excellence and meeting equality duties across all our policies, practices and procedures.	SWIA equality group and all staff	Ongoing and subject to review.	Excellent employer.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

We assist Scottish students in higher education by:

assessing and paying financial support for living costs and tuition fees;
dealing with the Students' Allowances Scheme (including applications for student loans), the Postgraduate Students' Allowances Scheme (PSAS), the Nursing and Midwifery Students Bursary Scheme (NMSB) and other \health Service Bursary Schemes (e.g. dentistry).;
providing resources and data to the Students Loan Company for the payment of student loans;
distributing Discretionary Funds and Childcare Funds to Scottish universities and colleges;
maintaining a register of charities that offer educational endowments;
helping learners through the Individual Learning Accounts Scotland (ILAS) scheme, which SAAS runs in partnership with Skills Development Scotland; and
working with the Health Directorate to develop and deliver NHS Bursaries targeted at specific groups.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

The Chief Scottish Government Officer commits to ensuring that the needs of disabled staff and customers are considered in all areas of SAAS responsibilities. SAAS have implemented an annual communication plan that sets out the key elements of how the Agency will market policy and operational changes that directly affect students. Summer 2007 saw SAAS conduct its first Customer Survey , specifically targeted at disabled students. This will continue on a regular basis in order to review and evaluate how SAAS services are experienced by disabled people.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

SAAS has given consideration to the following issues:

· provision of literature and online advice in different formats for disabled students

· assessment of disabled students' needs

· application procedure for disabled students

Information, Advice and Guidance on funding support for disabled learners. Discussions with intermediaries who provide advice on funding to learners and prospective learners indicate that not all learners eligible for Disabled Students' Allowances are aware of the support that is available.

SAAS will attend The BRITE Initiative at Stevenson College to meet the BRITE mentors and staff involved in assistive technology and needs assessment training. This event will give staff the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the different types of assistive technology available and provide them with a better insight into the needs assessment process.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) - review format of literature.	SAAS will provide Disabled Students' Allowance literature in alternative formats as a matter of course rather than wait for this to be requested. SAAS will continue to review its provision of material in alternative formats in consultation with disabled students and representative organisations and will produce a strategy for the promotion and distribution of this information.	SAAS Policy Section	Summer 2008	Provision and distribution of information material in alternative formats.
Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) - raise awareness of allowance.	SAAS and the Funding Council to work closely with further and higher education providers to identify disabled students earlier and signpost SAAS services to them. SAAS will attend regional career fairs, college and university open days as well as school visits to publicise and explain how DSA works and what support students can expect to help with their disability	SAAS Policy Section	Throughout the academic year.	Publicise DSAs and encourage disabled students to apply for them.
Information, Advice and Guidance on funding support for disabled learners. Discussions with intermediaries who provide advice on funding to learners and prospective learners indicate that not all learners eligible for Disabled Students' Allowance are aware of the support they could get.	Continue to work in consultation with Skills Development Scotland on developing the national information service which provides funding advice to learners and prospective learners to ensure DSA support is publicised	SAAS Policy Section	Throughout the academic year	Ensure that DSA support is publicised
SAAS will attend The BRITE Initiative at Stevenson College to meet the BRITE mentors and staff involved in the assistive technology and needs assessment training.	This event will give SAAS staff the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the most up to date types of assistive technology available and provide them with a better insight into the needs assessment process.	SAAS DSA Team	End of April 2008	This will give our staff a clearer understanding of the DSA needs assessment process from both a student and assessor perspective.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
The Disabled Students Stakeholder Group (DSSG) - Chaired by HELS Division the group is attended by the Scottish Funding Council, Students Awards Agency for Scotland, NUS Scotland and other organisations such as RNIB which represent the interests of disabled students. This group meets twice a year to discuss issues which affect disabled students attending college or university.	Through this Group decisions have been taken which have resulted in 30 colleges/universities now being able to assess and validate their own disabled students applications	Higher and further education authorities	Throughout the academic year	A more streamlined application process

JUSTICE

PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITIES

The Justice portfolio plays a key role in supporting the achievement of our objective for a safer and stronger Scotland - helping local communities to flourish and to become stronger, safer places to live that offer improved opportunities and a better quality of life. It also contributes to our work to tackle disadvantage, prejudice and discrimination. The justice system seeks to punish offenders and discourage them from re-offending while protecting the rest of society.

The Justice portfolio has responsibility for:

the development of civil and criminal laws which protect society, promote mutual respect and help us all to thrive;
the administration of an effective, fair and efficient justice system, supported by an independent and valued legal profession;
ensuring public safety through police, fire and community justice services, and co-ordinating preparation for potential civil emergencies;
securing access to justice; and
the effective and proportionate regulation of charities.

The Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Court Service and Accountant in Bankruptcy are Scottish Government Agencies of the portfolio and central to delivering our priorities.

PROMOTING DISABILITY EQUALITY

Disabled people are more likely to feel 'unsafe' when walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark than those who are not disabled and 15% cent of disabled adults say that their quality of life is affected in some way by fear of crime, compared to only 8% of adults who are not disabled. But it isn't just a matter of perception - 1 in 5 disabled Scots has experienced harassment because of their disability and 47% of the people who responded to the qualitative Survey Report - Hate Crimes Against Disabled People in Scotland (2004 - Disability Rights Commission) - had experienced hate crime because of their disability.

We also know that access to justice can be difficult for disabled people. A variety of issues contribute to this, including physical accessibility, access to information and cost.

We will take action to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people by:

· supporting the Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Bill which will introduce new aggravations for offences motivated by malice or ill will based on a victim's actual or perceived disability

· creating a Scottish Sentencing Council to give effect to sentencing guidelines

· and improving access to justice for disabled people as follows:

Ø as part of the implementation of the Civil Courts Review, we will consider the case for specialist discrimination courts and technically qualified assessors to assist courts in discrimination cases

Ø we will consider reform of the system of tribunals and administrative justice

Ø we will specifically consider provision of publicly funded legal assistance in Mental Health Review Tribunals and Additional Support Needs Tribunals

Ø we will review financial eligibility for legal aid and identify access and eligibility issues impacting on disabled people

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Police and Community Safety Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Police and Community Safety Directorate works collaboratively with key partners to support Scottish Government's purpose of creating a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable growth.

We do this by ensuring the people of Scotland live in safer communities and benefit from high levels of safety and security from police and fire and rescue services, improved resilience and readiness for emergencies and reduced levels of violence and drug misuse. Our objectives are to:

· Improve police services;

· Improve fire and rescue services;

· Improve Scotland's resilience and readiness for emergencies;

· Increase the effectiveness of drug misuse prevention and treatment and rehabilitation for drug addicts;

· Make our communities safer and less violent; and

· Ensure Justice policies are based on sound evidence.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

We are committed to addressing inequalities and discrimination that disabled people face. We seek to mainstream equalities into our work and to take positive action to eliminate discrimination in development of our policies. In doing so we highlight to the organisations and agencies we work with that our duty also extends to them.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

To support the revision of our disability equality scheme Scottish Government Equalities Unit held workshops with disabled people to identify issues important to disabled people. In response to some of these issues this action plan sets out specific pieces of work where we will ensure:

· our duty is passed on to contractors in the procurement process;

· our stakeholders are aware of the issues raised that they are responsible for;

· information is accessible; and

· where disabled people are involved in policy development they receive feedback on their involvement.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Support colleagues to carry out EQIAs	Review the need to support colleagues in preparing EQIAs as part of analytical planning and programme development process	Justice Analytical Services	Ongoing	Better awareness of the availability of disability statistics and research
Prevent people who are Deaf or hard of hearing from being injured or killed by fire.	Fund the provision of smoke alarms for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing	Scottish Resilience	Ongoing	Less people who are Deaf or hard of hearing are injured by fire.
Continue to develop accessibility of Scottish Fire Services College website and to all e related initiatives.	Review website and e related initiatives using existing accessibility guidance.	Scottish Fire Services College, Scottish Resilience	Ongoing - Relates to SFSC Business Plan 2007-2010 Ref 4.6.1.	Web site and all e related initiatives are accessible to disabled people

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Firearms marketing campaign	· Carry out an Equality Impact Assessment · Ensure procurement contracts address issues identified by EQIA · Ensure any evaluation of the campaign captures views of disabled people	Police Powers, Performance and Resources	September 2008	Disabled people's awareness is raised as much as public awareness in general.
Review of Police recruitment standards	· Carry out an Equality Impact Assessment · Involve Disability organisations in the review · Ensure any guidance that results from the review sets out a response to any equality issues.	Police Powers, Performance and Resources	December 2008	Police circulars on recruitment will take account of issues for disabled people
Develop a national Sex Offender Strategy	· Carry out an Equality Impact Assessment · Ensure procurement contracts address issues identified by the Equality Impact Assessment	Police Powers, Performance and Resources	January 2009	The strategy will address issues specific to disabled people
Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey	Include a section on findings in relation to equalities issues in the next publication of the report.	Justice Analytical Services	September 2009	A better understanding of the crime and justice issues that affect disabled people.
Sponsor the Scottish Police Services Agency (SPSA) to provide national policing services	Ensure SPSA are aware of their requirement to have a Disability Equality Scheme.	Police Organised Crime and Support Services	Ongoing	The Duty is met by more public bodies
Public appointments to SPSA	Continue to use the public appointments guidance	Police Organised Crime and Support Services	Ongoing	Public appointments are open to disabled people
Provide training and development services for Scotland's Fire and Rescue Services	· Continue to train all trainees in equality & diversity issues in relation to the Fire and Rescue Service role map · Continue to provide equality & diversity training as part of all leadership development programmes in relation to the Fire and Rescue Service role maps · Ensure all training, internal and contracted, provided is accessible to all participants · Ensure the training equipment and facilities, including accommodation, are accessible to all participants · Ensure equalities legislation is adhered to when recruiting staff	Scottish Fire Services College, Scottish Resilience	Ongoing - Relates to SFSC Business Plan 2007-2010 Ref 4.6.1	All participants in training programmes are aware of the Disability duty. Training and employment opportunities are open to disabled fire fighters
Deliver Community Fire advice	· Carry out an Equality Impact Assessment · Continue to collect information on groups vulnerable to fire and target campaigns accordingly.	Scottish Resilience	Ongoing	Advice and awareness raising is tailored to disabled people
Programme of action to tackle drug misuse	· Carry out an Equality Impact Assessment · Implement actions identified through EQIA · Include disabled people in EQIA process	Drugs and Community Safety	August 2008	The programme of action will address any issues specific to disabled people that are identified in the EQIA
Manage the 'Cashback' programme to distribute money from proceed of crime	Carry out an Equality Impact Assessment	Drugs and Community Safety	August 2008	The programme will address any issues specific to disabled people that are identified in the EQIA
Develop a strategy for a resilient Scotland	Carry out EQIA to ensure the strategy applies equally	Scottish Resilience	January 2009	The Scottish Government's strategy is understood by stakeholders
Review of the National Anti-social behaviour strategy	· Carry out an Equality Impact Assessment · Involve disabled people in the review	Drugs and Community Safety	August 2008	The strategy will address any issues specific to disabled people that are identified in the EQIA

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Criminal Justice Directorate works with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Ministers, other Directorates, other justice organisations, local authorities, the voluntary sector and other contributors to provide the legal framework, systems and services in criminal justice and licensing that are needed to support the Government's purpose, strategic objectives and outcomes with particular reference to Safer and Stronger.

Our objectives are:

· To contribute to reducing reoffending and help the reintegration of offenders into mainstream economic and social activity

· To develop and prioritise effective community justice penalties

· To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system with particular emphasis on the needs of victims of crime, vulnerable witnesses and Scotland's diverse communities

· To develop the legal framework in criminal law in the interests of a just and fair society

· Improve public protection through criminal justice policy and procedures

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

We will undertake Equality Impact Assessments for all new policy activity and apply the findings from them. We will involve disabled people in our development work and in monitoring and evaluation.

As indicated in our aims and objectives, our work in policy, procedure and service development is seeks to help offenders, including those with disabilities, to become more economically active; and at building the confidence of the public, including victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses, in a safer and stronger Scotland.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

One in five disabled Scots have experienced harassment because of their disability. The Scottish Household Survey (SHS) results show that:

Those with a disability or long-term illness are more likely to feel 'unsafe' when walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark than those without a disability or long-term illness.

There are also differences in the perceptions of safety between disabled adults and adults without a disability or long-term illness, when they are asked how safe they feel when home alone at night. Six per cent of disabled adults consider themselves 'very unsafe' or 'a bit unsafe' when alone in their home at night compared to three per cent of adults without a disability or long-term illness.

There are significant differences between disabled adults and adults without a disability in terms of those responding that fear of crime has some effect on their quality of life. Fifteen per cent of disabled adults responded that their quality of life was affected in some way. This compares to eight per cent of adults without a disability or long-term illness.

47% of the people who responded to the qualitative Survey Report - Hate Crimes Against Disabled People in Scotland (2004 - Disability Rights Commission) - had experienced hate crime because of their disability.

As part of the development of the Scottish Government's Disability Equality Scheme, events was held in March to directly involve disabled people. Participants identified issues for disabled people in relation to criminal justice.

Need for better access to courts and police stations, including physical access and access to information
Need to improve the availability of legal advice for disabled people

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Implementation of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 Evidence shows that vulnerable witnesses may be intimidated from giving their best evidence by the courtroom setting. The Act provides for special measures such as screens, live TV link etc to protect children and other vulnerable witnesses when giving evidence.	Implementing provisions of the Act that will protect disabled witnesses if they are accepted by the court as being vulnerable for the purposes of the Act.	Victims and Witnesses Unit, with COPFS, Scottish Court Service, ACPOS, SCRA, voluntary orgs. Law Society, judiciary.	Implementation programme completed 1 April 2007.	Fairer treatment of all child and adult vulnerable disabled witnesses with easier and wider access to the measures in the Act.
Sentencing Evidence shows that disabled people are prone to be victimised on account of their perceived membership of the relevant group, as well as general vulnerability.	Create Scottish Sentencing Council to give effect to sentencing guidelines in line with the SNP manifesto commitment.	Criminal Law & Licensing Division - Sentencing Policy Unit	Ongoing	Disabled people protected from offenders through consistent sentencing approaches. Improved credibility of criminal justice system in its dealings with disabled victims and those who offend against them.
Hate Crime Evidence shows that disabled people are prone to be victimised on account of their perceived membership of the relevant group, as well as general vulnerability.	Support Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Bill. This Bill will introduce new aggravations for offences motivated by malice or ill will based on a victim's actual or perceived disability.	Criminal Law & Licensing Division - Sentencing Policy Unit	April 2008 (for introduction)	The Bill aims to protect disabled people from crime motivated by prejudice towards disability. One of the provisions of the Bill is a requirement to record when a crime has been motivated by prejudice related to disability. This will enable us to build up a better of understanding of the scope of crimes motivated by disability and the problems faced by people with disabilities in Scotland today.
Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill The Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill will reform Scots law on sexual offences.	The Bill will take proper regard of mental health issues in relation to sexual offences, and in particular issues around the ability of people who suffer from a mental disability or disorder to consent to sexual activity.	Criminal Law & Licensing Division	Bill to be introduced in Parliament in 2008.	Effective, robust legislation on sexual offences which provides protection to those suffering from a mental disability or disorder and respects their sexual autonomy.
Sponsorship of Victim Support Scotland	Through our financial sponsorship of VSS, we expect them to promote equality and tackle discrimination through their work with victims and witnesses. This is included as a commitment in VSS's corporate plan which is backed up by its Diversity Policy.	Victims and Witnesses Unit and VSS	Ongoing	Effective access to services provided to victims and witnesses who have a disability.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Vulnerable victims of crime	National Standards for Victims of Crime includes a commitment that the standards apply to all victims regardless of whether they are disabled or not.	All Divisions in Criminal Justice Directorate and Equality Unit plus other Criminal Justice Agencies	Published Feb. 05. Ongoing monitoring of application.	All who have endorsed the standards should be able to demonstrate how they are being applied in practice.
Implementation of the Vulnerable Witnesses Act	As part of implementation of the Vulnerable Witnesses Act, published practitioner guidance on working with witnesses with particular needs.	All Divisions in Criminal Justice Directorate and Equality Unit plus other Criminal Justice Agencies and Voluntary Organisations.	Published June 05. Ongoing. Further guidance to be published May/June 2007.	Ensure that all practitioners working with vulnerable witnesses are better aware of the requirements of witnesses with particular needs.
Community Justice Services	It is anticipated that the new version of the National Standards for Criminal Justice Social Work, when finalised, will contain reference to what is expected of practitioners on working with offenders with disabilities.	Community Justice Services Division with ADSW, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations.	Revised Standards due summer 2007.	Greater awareness by practitioners of the needs of offenders with particular needs.
'Section 306' Publication - 'Costs and Equalities and the Scottish Criminal Justice System'	Section 306 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 requires Scottish Ministers to publish annually equalities information relating to crime and justice (as well as information enabling people engaged in the administration of criminal justice to become aware of the financial implications of their decisions).	Criminal Law and Licensing Division, Sentencing Policy Unit	Annually	Enabling people working in the criminal justice system to avoid discrimination.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

CONSTITUTION, LAW AND COURTS DIRECTORATE

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

We work with Ministers and key stakeholders to ensure that the people in Scotland benefit from an efficient and respected civil justice system and access to both civil and criminal justice to make Scotland a safer, stronger and fairer place to live. We will work to improve the Scottish civil justice system to make it responsive to the needs of all its users and as easy to access and understand as possible.

Our objectives are to:

Ø Update and modernise Scotland's civil law and civil justice system

Ø Update and modernise charity law in Scotland

Ø Lead in debate on the structure and regulation of the legal profession

Ø Reforming access to justice

Ø Promoting Scotland's justice interests in Europe and beyond

We will also work with Ministers to benefit the people in Scotland by

Ø delivering the Government's programme for legislation in the Scottish Parliament;

Ø developing a strategy to engage civil society in the Government's National Conversation on constitutional change;

Ø developing relations with the UK Government and Scottish Parliament;

Ø developing and promoting policies to improve participative democracy and engage civil society in policy development;

Ø giving effect to the recommendations of the Gould report on local government elections; and

Ø developing and supporting the Government's policy on Freedom of Information and, in particular, proactive release of information

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

We are committed to ensure Equality Impact Assessments are undertaken for all new and developing policies. We will ensure engagement with disabled people when appropriate when developing new policy. We will hold EQIA workshops in consultation with Equalities Unit, to raise awareness of staffs' responsibilities in this area.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

There is a good level of knowledge of equality issues in the Directorate due to the development within Civil Justice, Law Reform and International Division of the proposals to set up the Scottish Human Rights Commission. That role will continue and will be enhanced, now that the Commission is now in place.

Awareness raising sessions and internal processes are being set up to ensure effective understanding and completion of Equality Impact Assessments. That includes awareness of issues for disabled people. This is being developed, based on assessments of and monitoring through, the Business Planning Tool.

The need for special consideration of impacts on the court system is understood in areas such as access to court rooms and to facilities in courts necessary to vindicate legal rights and representation; support in passing disability discrimination court proceedings; and in developing policy concerning adults with incapacity.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Improvement of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000	Legislation in the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 to improve operation of the Act	Constitution, Law and Courts, Civil Law	April 2008	More user-focused Act with easier and wider access to the measures in the Act
Development of specialised courts	As part of the implementation of the Civil Courts Review, we will consider the case for specialist discrimination courts and technically qualified assessors to assist courts in discrimination cases	Constitution, Law and Courts, Legal System	Implementation of Civil Courts Review; Bill planned for May 2010	Easier vindication of rights of disabled persons who are discriminated against (and reduced discrimination in future as a result)

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Equal treatment of men and women as parties to family law disputes	Full implementation of Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 and associated non-legislative measures	Constitution, Law and Courts, Civil Law	Act came into force on 4 May 2006; subject to ongoing monitoring	System driven by welfare of children, but both male and female ex-partners should be treated fairly
Reform of Civil Court system	Ø Undertaking an EQIA Ø Developing/improving monitoring to provide information on disabled people Ø Building equalities requirements into guidance for policy delivery	Constitution, Law and Courts, Legal System	Implementation of Civil Courts Review; Bill planned for May 2010	Easier vindication of rights of disabled persons who are discriminated against (and reduced discrimination in future as a result)
Reform of system of tribunals and administrative justice	Ø Undertaking an EQIA Ø Developing/improving monitoring to provide information on disabled people Ø Building equalities requirements into guidance for policy delivery	Constitution, Law and Courts, Legal System	Implementation of Tribunals Reform programme; Bill planned for May 2010	Easier vindication of rights of disabled persons who are discriminated against (and reduced discrimination in future as a result
Legal aid review of financial eligibility	Ø Undertake EQIA Ø Identify access and eligibility issues impacting on disabled people Ø Consider options to address these as part of review	Constitution, Law and Courts, Legal System	April 2009	Better targeted publicly funded legal assistance
Tackling poverty/publicly funded legal assistance	Ø Undertake EQIA Ø Identify unmet needs for advice and assistance impacting on disabled people and options to address Ø Specifically consider provision of publicly funded legal assistance in Mental Health Review Tribunals and Additional Support Needs Tribunals	Constitution, Law and Courts, Legal System	April 2010	Improved access to justice for disabled people
Awareness raising of Human Rights due to the setting up of the Scottish Human Rights Commission	Ø Undertaking an EQIA Ø Developing/improving monitoring to provide information on disabled people Ø Building equalities requirements into guidance for policy delivery	Constitution, Law and Courts, Civil Law, EU JHA Team (at present)	Ongoing with effect from 1 April 2008	Fairer treatment of disabled person by public authority

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Scottish Government Legal Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

The central purpose of the Legal Directorate is to support Ministers and the Law Officers across the range of their legal and parliamentary responsibilities.

Most of the Directorate's work relates to the provision of legal services including the preparation of primary and subordinate legislation and giving legal advice to Ministers and policy officials.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

We are committed to addressing inequalities and discrimination that disabled people face in Scotland by working with other Scottish Government Directorates to ensure that they meet their legal disability equality obligations.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The directorate's work relates to the provision of legal services.

Directorate staff keep abreast of disability and equality legislation to enable provision of up to date advice.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.

Policy

Action

By whom

By when

Expected Outcome

It is the responsibility generally of policy Directorates to ensure that policies which impact either directly or indirectly on equality issues contain appropriate provisions.

Legal Directorate will:-

Work to support Directorates to meet their legal and voluntary obligations in terms of equality
Keep abreast of disability and equality legislation to enable us to provide up to date advice
Where appropriate, draft legislation and advice in accessible language and using plain English.

SGLD/ All staff

Ongoing

Development and delivery of policy in line with disability equality duty requirements.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Office of the Scottish Parliamentary Counsel (OSPC)

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

To work with Ministers and policy and legal colleagues in the planning and management of the Scottish Government's legislative programme; to deliver the legislative programme through the drafting of effective, clearly-drafted, accessible Bills; and to seek to maintain the logical and coherent development of the Scottish statute book. OSPC does not have policy responsibilities.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

We are committed to addressing inequalities and discrimination that disabled people face in Scotland, by working with policy makers to ensure that new legislation takes proper account of the issues for disabled people.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

As noted above, OSPC does not have responsibility for policy development. Drafting teams in OSPC gain knowledge of the impact of policies on disabled people from the policy and drafting instructions for a Bill, the wider documentation (e.g. consultation documents) and contacts with the lead policy Directorate

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.

Policy

Action

By whom

By when

Expected Outcome

It is generally the responsibility of policy Directorates to ensure that policies that impact directly or indirectly on equality issues make appropriate provision for disability equality.

In drafting Bills, OSPC will-

be ready to question policy and drafting instructions with a view to ensuring that the resulting legislation takes appropriate account of those to whom it will apply, including disabled people
aim as far as possible to draft in clear and accessible language, and in plain English.

OSPC/ All staff

ongoing

New legislation will take account of disabled people.

CROWN OFFICE AND PROCURATOR FISCAL SERVICE

PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITIES

The overarching responsibility of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is to serve the public interest, prosecuting cases independently, fairly and effectively.

The key aims of COPFS are to:

secure the confidence of Scotland's diverse communities by improving the delivery of justice through the timely, efficient and effective prosecution of crime;

give priority to prosecution of serious crime, including drugs trafficking and persistent offenders;
provide services that meet the information needs of victims, witnesses and next of kin, in co-operation with other agencies; and
ensure that all deaths reported to the Procurator Fiscal are investigated appropriately and speedily.

In this way, COPFS contributes to a safer and stronger Scotland by ensuring that cases are brought to a conclusion in the most appropriate way as quickly as possible. By tackling crime quickly and using a wider range of measures appropriate for specific offences, the COPFS portfolio will help to reduce crime and the fear of crime, improve the conditions which support economic development and social capital in communities, and enhance the quality of life of all Scottish people.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is Scotland's sole national prosecution service. We also investigate sudden and suspicious deaths, carry out independent inquiries into complaints of criminal conduct by police officers and administer property falling to the Crown. Our core functions include:

· the prosecution of crime;

· the investigation of sudden, suspicious, unexpected or unexplained deaths and, when appropriate, the conduct of public inquiries;

· identifying and meeting the information needs of victims, witnesses and bereaved relatives;

· provision of accessible information to all service users: interpreting, translation and transcription;

· employment and estates

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

COPFS is committed to tackling the sources of inequality faced by disabled people so as to ensure that the delivery of our services is fair, inclusive and accessible. We aim to actively involve disabled people in making equal opportunities central to our service delivery, employment of staff and development of policies and practice and to take action to eliminate unlawful discrimination and prevent harassment.

The priorities and goals set out in our Action Plan have been incorporated by our Area Procurator Fiscals and Business Managers into Area and local business plans and are reflected in the performance objectives of our most senior managers.

COPFS is fully committed to each of the six principals contained within the Disability Equality Duty.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

COPFS takes the view that there are disability equality issues across all of our functions, for victims, witnesses, nearest relatives, accused persons and our staff, visitors and stakeholders.

To help us identify those experiences and issues, we are committed to gathering and examining evidence about current performance and measuring our progress towards disability equality in relation to the full range of our services and functions. Our current information includes: Human Resources Division statistics on staff declared disabilities; recruitment and development data; and staff satisfaction surveys. We plan to gather information through customer feedback and satisfaction surveys; and targeted short-term sampling of case processing.

Our Action Plan reflects the active involvement of disabled people in decisions about what improvements are needed to the way we run our services, so that what we do is fairer, more inclusive and more accessible. This has helped us plan how to improve our performance and make a real difference to the way disabled people are treated within our organisation. Our involvement strategy includes:

Our Staff Disability Advisory Group, comprising individual staff with disabilities and other interested members. A disability equality trainer is a full time member and facilitator.
Our external Equality Advisory Group, with disabled members, recently extended to ensure increased representation of mental heath equality issues.
Our continuing engagement of disability equality trainers to help deliver our diversity awareness programme.
Our Procurator Fiscal Area plans to use local disability organisations in local training events.
Consideration of a 'pan-justice' disability forum

COPFS is also involved in the introduction and implementation of workable and effective legislation to create a new statutory aggravation to cover behaviour that appears to be motivated by prejudice towards somebody's disability. We are working collaboratively to develop prosecution policy in consultation with affected groups.

Disability Equality Action Plan

The COPFS Disability Equality Action Plan sets out our priority policy areas and planned activity in relation to disability equality across all of our functions. The Plan sets out actions specifically on disability issues identified from evidence and involvement and those actions where disability is being mainstreamed into our policy, activity and processes.

The COPFS arrangements for delivering each of the six parts of the general duty are set out in our 2007 Annual Report. COPFS welcomes the Cross-Government Commitment set out in this Scheme in relation to the general duty to promote disability equality and we will seek to adopt these actions as part of our second annual review in December 2007.

Our action plan and annual report are available at::

http://www.copfs.gov.uk/About/Departmental-Overview/diversity/action-plans/index

ENVIRONMENT AND RURAL AFFAIRS

PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITIES

The Rural Affairs and Environment portfolio is responsible for government policy, development and delivery of programmes addressing rural, marine, food and environmental issues.

The Rural Affairs and the Environment portfolio has responsibility for:

maintaining clean air and safe drinking water;
protecting communities from flooding, climate change and other environmental challenges;
minimising the amount of waste produced by society, maximising recycling and ensuring the proper disposal of what remains;
keeping rivers, lochs and beaches pollution free to acceptable levels;
securing for the future well managed landscapes and biodiversity which people can enjoy and businesses can capitalise on;
underpinning competitive agriculture, fisheries and forestry businesses, and encouraging other rural development that is essential for the health and wealth of local economies and communities; and
ensuring that all domestic and farm animals in Scotland are well treated and healthy, and that contingency plans are in place for the effective management in Scotland of animal disease outbreaks.

These programmes will ensure that our natural resources are used and managed for current and future generations as a valuable asset - a natural infrastructure that Scotland's farming, fishing and forestry businesses can thrive in and which underpins tourism, recreation and food industries.

Our processes to secure proper waste management, clean air and safe drinking water are important for a healthier Scotland, as is our investment in access to the countryside and green space in our communities.

Through our sponsored bodies and main research providers, our investment in regulatory science and strategic research makes a significant contribution to a smarter Scotland.

PROMOTING DISABILITY EQUALITY

We know that around 20% of the population are disabled people. To meet targets and objectives our policies will need to reach all of Scotland's people - everyone, including disabled people, can play their part in improving the quality of the environment.

Access to information can be difficult for some disabled people, for example information about waste recycling and environmental issues. And access to Scotland's built and natural environment can present problems. The isolation of some rural communities can exacerbate disabled people's exclusion from services or transport.

We will take action to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people by:

· ensuring Scottish Rural Development Programme guidance fully reflects requirements of disability equality

· ensuring all core path planning takes into account access for disabled people

· undertaking an equality impact assessment as part of the review of the National Waste Plan

· ensuring accessibility of the Greener Scotland Communications Strategy

· building access for disabled people into our Greener Capacity Building programme

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Rural Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

In Rural Directorate we are working to improve the well-being of rural Scotland, and in particular to manage the transition from European subsidies for production to broader-based rural development which aims for competitive farming businesses, well managed and maintained rural landscapes, flourishing biodiversity and thriving rural communities. We also promote animal health and welfare, and seek to prevent or, if necessary, contain outbreaks of serious animal disease such as Foot and Mouth Disease.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Rural Directorate are firmly committed to the promotion of disability equality and the involvement of disabled people. This commitment is central to the core outcome of providing a fairer Scotland for everyone

Although much Rural policy is mainstreamed, the Directorate has a duty to ensure that the rural voice is heard in other policy Directorates. This includes the voice of disabled people in rural areas, whose needs may differ from the disabled in urban environments.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The experience of and issues for disabled people vary considerably across the divisional responsibilities of the Directorate:

Rural Communities / Agriculture & Rural Development

- Listening to the voice of disabled people in rural areas.

Animal Health & Welfare / Veterinary

- Interaction with assistance dogs, riding for the disabled.

Landscapes & Habitats

- Provision of equal access and assisted access to the natural environment.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Animal Health and Welfare	Implementation of new animal health and welfare legislation	Animal Health and Welfare Division	Ongoing	Secondary legislation which takes account of the needs of people who are blind and deaf and other people who use "assistance" dogs.
Access to natural areas	Ensure all core path planning takes into account access for disabled people. (SRDP provisions already take into account disabled access needs).	Landscapes and Habitats	Ongoing	Greater disabled access to natural areas.
Communication with stakeholder groups	Facilitate teleconferencing and videoconferencing.	Rural Communities	Ongoing	Greater opportunity for rural disabled stakeholder groups to contact Scottish Government and express their views.
W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) Compliance	Ensure that the new online National Rural Network (Scotland) takes into account W3C guidance on access for those with disabilities, as with the existing Rural Communities Gateway Website.	Rural Communities	c. December 2008	Wider dissemination of information and greater participation, resulting in a more effective network.
Delivery of Grants	Ensure Accessible documentation and application etc., processes.	Rural Communities / Rural Development	Ongoing	Opportunity to apply for grants and funding
Promotion of disability awareness	Provide further training for policy staff on disability equality awareness.	All	Ongoing	Greater disability equality proofing of rural policy.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Delivery of publications	Ensure all published documentation is accessible.	All	Ongoing	Access for all to Scottish Government publications
Scottish Regional Development Programme Guidance	Ensure guidance issued to RPACS / LAGS fully reflects requirements of disability equality.	Rural Communities / Rural Development	Ongoing	SRDP grants delivered with consideration given to the concerns of the rural disabled.
Events Management	Ensure all venues and facilities for events sponsored or arranged by the directorate are fully accessible.	All	Ongoing	Full access to all functions for disabled people.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Marine Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Marine Directorate works with Scottish Ministers to ensure prosperous food and fisheries industries and a high status marine environment, thereby continuing to contribute to Scotland's economy and communities within the context of integrated and increasingly devolved management arrangements.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Although marine and food-related policies are broadly based in terms of focus and intended outcome, Marine Directorate is firmly committed to ensuring disability equality through the use of EQIA and the involvement of disabled people wherever possible. This commitment will contribute to the core outcomes of providing a (1) wealthier and fairer and (2) safer and stronger Scotland with opportunities for all.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The experience of and issues for disabled people varies very considerably across the Directorate with some Divisions essentially unaffected and others in process of considering or pursuing action on disability equality:

Sea Fisheries Divisions covering both conservation and management

- In view of the policies dealt with, no experience of disabled people and no related issues identified. Matter kept under review.

Marine Management Division

- None as yet but to be pursued in context of forthcoming consultation on Marine Bill. See next section for proposed action.

Aquaculture and Freshwater Fisheries Division

- Encouragement of all appropriate access to sport fishing which has involved consultation with disabled interests as part of development of Strategic Framework for Scottish Freshwater Fisheries. See next section for outstanding action.

- On aquaculture policy, no recent experience but to be pursued in context of forthcoming consultation on Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture. See next section for proposed action.

- General awareness of needs of the disabled in terms of application process for financial assistance under grant schemes managed by Division - the European Fisheries Fund (EFF)/Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) and Fishing Harbours Assistance Scheme.

Food Industry Division

- On national food policy, none as yet but to be pursued in context of further action on its ongoing development. See next section for proposed action.

- General awareness of needs of the disabled in terms of application process for financial assistance under grant scheme managed by Division - the Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Grant Scheme.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Fresh water fisheries	To develop final Strategic Framework for Scottish Freshwater Fisheries.	Aquaculture and Freshwater Fisheries Division	Final version of Framework ready by September 2008	Framework will take account of disabled interests.
Aquaculture	To ensure disabled interests are included in stakeholder and public consultation and that their views are given due consideration in drafting framework document.	Aquaculture and Freshwater Fisheries Division	Consultation commences during 2007.	Framework will take account of disabled interests.
Marine Bill	To ensure disabled interests are included in stakeholder and public consultation and that their views are given due consideration in framing draft legislation.	Marine Management	Consultation commences during 2007.	Proposed legislation on marine matters takes account of disabled interests.
Food	To ensure disabled interests are included in public consultation and that their views are given due consideration in developing national food policy.	Food Industry Division	Ongoing	National food policy takes account of disabled interests.

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Availability of publications	Ensure all published material is fully accessible.	All	Ongoing	Access for all to publications issued by the Directorate.
Delivery of Grants	To ensure continued provision of accessible documentation and application etc., processes.	Aquaculture and Freshwater Fisheries and Food Industry Divisions	Ongoing	Full opportunity to apply for grants and funding

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Greener Scotland Directorate (GSD)

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Delivery of the Scottish Government's Greener Strategic Objective - To improve Scotland's natural and built environment and the sustainable use and enjoyment of it.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Greener Scotland Directorate are fully committed to addressing inequality and diversity issues and to improve the quality of life for the People of Scotland.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

General experience and knowledge of Disability policies and their effect on disabled people. The work of GSD is cross cutting and covers all of the Strategic Objectives. The ownership of many of the policies we try to influence is held by other Directorates and will be reported separately as part of their submissions.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Environmental Volunteering	Advise service providers to ensure that disabled people can participate fully.	GSD	Ongoing	Facilities open to disabled people. Increase in numbers of disabled people volunteering. Continuing via the annual review of the Scottish Government (SG) Volunteering Strategy conducted by SG and the sector. In particular, assessing any increases in the volunteering opportunities for disabled people under the heading of "Inclusive Volunteering".

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Events Management	Ensure all venues and facilities for events sponsored or arranged by the Directorate are fully accessible.	GSD	Ongoing	Full access to all functions for disabled people
Training and development	To ensure that disability and equality issues are considered , when preparing training and development plans for GSD staff and to ensure that disability and equality policies form part of the agenda at Divisional meetings.	GSD	Ongoing	To ensure GSD staff are fully aware of SG equality policies.
Delivery of Grants & Grant aided projects	Ensure Accessible documentation and application processes.	GSD	Ongoing	Opportunity to apply for grants and funding
Greener Scotland Communications strategy	Ensure website development and all Greener Communications work proofed for plain English and accessibility requirements	GSD	Ongoing	Clearer, more accessible website giving better information on environmentally-responsible action including which take into account appropriate disability issues.

Greener Capacity Building

Including toolkits, guidance, seminars, conferences, training sessions

GSD

Ongoing

Ensuring full access to all functions for disabled people.

All venues and facilities for events arranged by the directorate are fully accessible

Ensuring that guidance and toolkits can be made available in multiple formats as necessary.

Video conferences for those unable to travel for an event. Broadcasting via SGTV or DVD.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Rural & Environment Research & Analysis

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

The work of RERAD is about building a platform of knowledge to strengthen the way in which the policies developed across Rural, Environment and Marine Directorates and contribute to the objectives of the Scottish Government. Our specialists use their skills to frame relevant questions, commission research projects and programmes, and analyse data and knowledge to provide evidence and advice for policy use by Cabinet Secretaries, Ministers and policy-makers.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Rural & Environment Research & Analysis Directorate are committed to disability equality. We assist in the development of EQIA's across the RAE portfolio and provide directorates with data in order to assist in the integration and promotion of disability equality through their policy.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

The experiences of and issues for disabled people within the responsibilities of Rural & Environment Research & Analysis Directorate are reflected through our data gathering in which we must ensure we include all demographic sets, including disabled people.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Rural Payments & Inspections Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Responsible for implementation and delivery of grants, subsidies and other government policies to the agricultural industry as well as the development and support of the Information Technology Systems to enable the delivery of the schemes. Provide professional agricultural advice and information to Scottish Ministers, the general public and other colleagues in the Scottish Government.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

RPID is committed to tackling inequality and disadvantage faced by disabled people both for staff and customers. Representatives have already met with colleagues from the Equality Unit to seek advice on using the EQIA toolkit to consider equality issues in the development of policy implementation.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

All customers are treated in accordance with the EU and domestic legislation which is followed in carrying out our work.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions within the Directorate/Agency areas of responsibility where disability equality is being mainstreamed.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Scottish Rural Development Programme - implementation and delivery of policy	Conduct an Equality Impact (to include disability equality) Assessment of the policy implementation.	SRPD Programme (Donald Bailey)	Annually	SRDP policy implementation fully considers disability requirements.

DISABILITY EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

Name of Directorate or Agency

Environmental Quality Directorate

Directorate or Agency Responsibilities.

Environmental Quality Directorate develops and oversees the implementation of policy on air quality, environmental and neighbourhood noise, nuisance, flood management, coast protection and reservoir safety, the water environment, soils, waste (including radioactive waste), prevention and control of pollution from industrial plants and chemicals, and tackling problems of contaminated land. The Directorate also sponsors SEPA, and supports the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland.

This work contributes to the Government's 5 strategic objectives, and in particular, contributes towards a Greener Scotland and a Safer and Stronger Scotland.

Statement of Directorate/Agency Commitment to the Promotion of Disability Equality and how this helps to deliver Government's national purpose and outcomes.

Environmental Quality Directorate is committed to tackling inequality and disadvantage faced by disabled people. In particular the Directorate will ensure that EQIAs are prepared as part of all policy development.

What is known about the experiences of, and issues for, disabled people within the Directorate/Agency Responsibilities

Disabled people, depending on the nature of their disabilities, can have problems with putting recyclate and residual waste out for collection. People with visual impairments and learning difficulties may experience problems in getting information on waste services operated by their local authority.

SEPA as a major public sector employer needs to have appropriate polices in relation to the disabled.

Disability Equality Action Plan

Key actions which are designed to address disability issues identified from evidence and involvement.
Policy	Action	By whom	By when	Expected Outcome
Waste policy	Undertake an equality impact assessment as part of the review of the National Waste Plan	Head of Waste Strategy Team	Spring 2009	Identification of future actions that required to be taken or confirmation that no action necessary
Waste policy	Check that web sites of waste delivery bodies (i.e. bodies that are funded by the SG but independent of them) are compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act	Head of Waste Delivery Body Team	Autumn 2008	Confirmation that web sites com

The Scottish Government

Publications

On this page:

Scottish Government Disability Equality Scheme 2008-11

DISABILITY EQUALITY SCHEME 2008-2011

MINISTERIAL FOREWORD

Strategic disability working group

Work with national grassroots disability organisations

Work with disabled staff

Patient Participation