EQUALITY PROOFING BUDGET AND POLICY ADVISORY GROUP
Minutes of meeting held on 9 May 2005
The Capita Centre, St Andrews Square, Edinburgh
Present:
David Thomson, Equality Unit, Scottish Executive (Chair)
John Aldridge, Principal Finance Officer, Scottish Executive
Ailsa McKay, Scottish Women's Budget Group
Rona Fitzgerald, Scottish Women's Budget Group
Jackie Walder, Finance Expenditure Policy, Scottish Executive
Laura Turney, Equality Unit, Scottish Executive
Kay Simpson, Equality Unit, Scottish Executive
Apologies:
Yvonne Strachan, Equality Unit, Scottish Executive
Tim Hopkins, Equality Network
Ali Jarvis, Commission for Racial Equality
1. Minutes of meeting held on 8 December 2004
The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.
2. Action points from previous meeting
· Possible seminar with Finance Committee - David and Jackie reported that both the Equal Opportunities and Finance Committees of the Scottish Parliament were heavily committed over the coming period.
Action: It was agreed that Equality Unit should pursue opportunities for the Group to brief the Committees from September. Preferred format would be for a general introductory session with a discussion.
· Publishing minutes on Equality Unitwebpages - David reported that this was being progressed.
· Report from Nordic Council - Ailsa reported on findings of barriers for working on this issue - that there were external forces which affected gender budgeting; that there were real difficulties in linking finance with equality; and that it was important to work with both finance officials and equality officials.
3. Planned changes for 2005 Budget Process and Draft Budget 2006-07
Jackie outlined the planned budget process (presentation attached)
The Group discussed how best to present equality information in the draft budget to ensure clearer presentation and a more coherent message on equality issues.
During the discussion, the following points were made:
· Rona suggested that it was important for presentation to make links with this Group and its work and with the Equality Strategy
· Rona also suggested that the main concerns were that equality was not mainstreamed through the document; that equality was not linked to strategies, targets and objectives or to resource allocation
· Rona felt that it was important to provide a sense of the work that is taking place and to capture how this links in with equality objectives in a systematic manner.
· Ailsa suggested that a good focus would be on the work that is taking place in the Equality Budget Pilots. This would allow the Executive to present a realistic methodology.
· Ailsa also felt it was important to capture overarching equality objectives to illustrate the importance of this work. It is important to capture why this work is important.
· Ailsa suggested that the Executive should acknowledge that there were difficulties in capturing the best way forward but to ensure the commitment to the work is clear.
ACTION: It was agreed that dialogue would continue as the draft budget is put together, and specifically that the Equality Budget Pilots should if possible provide a focus for the cross-cutting equality work.
4. Health and Sport Pilot
Kay provided a brief report on her work in taking forward the Equality Budget Pilots in Health and Sport.
Background
In 2002 advisory group agreed that a pilot study should be undertaken to identify a working method for assessing the equality impact of budgets and spending plans.
The material available from gender budget initiatives undertaken in other countries and the expected availability of gender disaggregated data led to the initial focus on gender.
Smoking cessation had been identified as a useful starting point and the group had also agreed that a further pilot on sport should be taken forward.
The aim of the pilots is to find a way to assess the equality impact of mainstream spend, to devise a method that is tailored to fit existing practises, and can be used to assess the equality impact of spend on all equality groups.
Work on the pilots began in February 2005.
Project Team
Team lead - David Thomson, Disability, Sexual Orientation and Mainstreaming Equality Team
Gender budget analysis - Kay Simpson former employee of SWBG
Guidance on spending allocation process - Jackie Walder, Finance Expenditure Policy Analysis Team
Technical assistance - Dr Ailsa McKay, Gender Budget Analyst, Division of Business Enterprise and Economics, Glasgow Caledonian University and Rona Fitzgerald, Independent Consultant on Gender Equality and Budgets
Research and analysis on sport - Division of Media, Culture and Leisure Management, Glasgow Caledonian University
An unforeseen delay in the provision of the necessary information on smoking cessation led to further consideration regarding the direction of the pilots.
The project therefore began with a brief review to broadly identify where and how gender inequalities operate in Scotland. The findings of preliminary work regarding gender differences in the uptake of smoking and participation in sport were also considered and it was agreed that linking the two projects would be an effective way to proceed. Promoting the health of young people in Scotland is a priority area for the Executive and it was agreed that the project would focus on young people.
Meetings were held with policy officials in tobacco control policy and sports policy who agreed to provide advice and expertise throughout the project.
The project is now being taken forward in three main phases outlined below
Phase one
· Two brief literature reviews are being undertaken to identify gender differences relating to smoking in young people and sport and young people.
· The policy and spending processes in health and education are being mapped to identify the present link between policy and spend within these departments
Phase two
Meetings with policy and spending officials in health and sport will identify programmes relating to smoking and young people and participation in sport and young people
· The extent to which consideration of gender has been factored in to these programmes will be identified
· Work with policy and spending officials will determine how gender equality impact analysis can be integrated into existing policy and spending processes
Phase three
· A set of guidelines will be produced outlining a process for assessing gender equality impact of spending plans
· Recommendations will advise how guidelines can be applied` to other programmes and departments
Regular meetings are being held between Jackie, Ailsa, Rona and Kay to determine ways in which the information obtained from the pilots can be integrated into the existing spending allocation process (to include at departmental level and also role of central finance)
Diane Elson, Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex a leading international researcher on gender responsive budgets will be visiting in June to provide additional guidance.
Kay said that it was important to acknowledge that the pilots are part of a long process of moving towards clear and measurable targets. They will provide a methodology for work in other areas, and will need to signal the benefits of doing this work without unrealistically raising expectations. A key argument which needs to be captured is that is will lead to more effective resource allocation, providing better value for money and linking effectiveness and efficiency.
5. Visit from Diane Elson
The Group discussed Diane's visit on 14 June.
6. Any Other Business
The Group had a short discussion about publicising its work with other equality interests. Suggestions included Audit Scotland, the Equal Opportunities Committee of the Scottish Parliament and the Equalities Coordinating Group.
Action: When pilots completed, Equality Unit to write on behalf of the Group to all three bodies informing them of progress. Audit Scotland should also be invited to a future meeting and a briefing on budget work should be offered to the Equalities Coordinating Group.
7. Dates for Future Meetings
The next meeting will be on 14 June. Diane Elson will attend and the focus will be on the Equality Budget Pilots.
The group agreed to meet again in September.
Equality Unit
June 2005