About the Inquiry
At its meeting on 19 December 2019, the Committee agreed to undertake an inquiry into ‘race equality, employment and skills’. This followed evidence sessions held on 21 and 28 November 2019, and an evidence session with the Minister for Older People and Equalities on 19 December 2019:
The remit for this inquiry is—
“To look at what positive actions public authorities have taken to improve employment practice towards minority ethnic communities in response to the Race Equality Framework for Scotland 2016-2030, and what more can be done to deliver further progress.”
Call for views
Committee Report
The Committee published it's Race Equality, Employment and Skills report on Sunday 15 November 2020.
The Committee wrote to public authorities on 16 November 2020;
The Committee issued a follow-up correspondence to public authorities on 3 February 2021
The Scottish Government responded to the Committee's report on 24 December 2020;
Call for views
The Committee launched a call for views on Citizen Space on 14 February 2020. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the initial deadline for responses was extended to 30 June 2020 Published responses can be viewed via the following link:
A summary of the responses recieved to the Committee's call for views and its questions to public authorities, was prepared by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe)
Evidence
The Committee wrote to public authorities on 2 March 2020, inviting their responses. The deadline for responses was also extended until 30 June 2020 to take account of challenges raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 14 August 2020, the Committee wrote again to public authorities, inviting them to respond if they had not already done so.
The following submissions were recieved;
Aberdeen City Council (71KB pdf)
Aberdeenshire Council (80KB pdf)
Care Inspectorate (95KB pdf)
City of Edinburgh Council (80KB pdf)
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (20.3KB.pdf)
Creative Scotland (59 KB pdf)
Dumfries and Galloway Council (113KB pdf)
East Ayrshire Council (152KB pdf)
East Lothian Council (55KB pdf)
East Renfrewshire Council (117KB pdf)
Educational Institute of Scotland (79KB pdf)
Equalities and Human Rights Commission (148KB pdf)
Falkirk Council (17KB pdf)
Fife Council (96KB pdf)
Glasgow City Council (15KB pdf)
Midlothain Council (63KB pdf)
National Museum of Scotland (83KB pdf)
NHS Ayrshire and Arran (343KB pdf)
NHS Dumfries and Galloway (74KB pdf)
NHS Grampian (100KB pdf)
NHS Lanarkshire (88KB pdf)
NHS Lothian (101KB pdf)
NHS Orkney (87KB pdf)
NHS Tayside (63KB pdf)
North Ayrshire Council (129KB pdf)
North Lanarkshire Council (81KB pdf)
Orkney Island Council (83KB pdf)
Police Scotland (125KB pdf)
Scottish Borders Council (93KB pdf)
Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (112KB pdf)
Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (85KB pdf)
Scottish Social Services Council (91KB pdf)
Scottish Enterprise (65KB pdf)
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (93KB pdf)
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (75KB pdf)
Scottish Government (173KB pdf)
Scottish Qualification Association (97KB pdf)
Skills Development Scotland (132KB pdf)
South Lanarkshire Council (116KB pdf)
Scottish Natural Heritage (69KB pdf)
Sports Scotland (63KB pdf)
Stirling Council (73KB pdf)
The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (117KB pdf)
Visit Scotland (197KB pdf)
West Dunbartonshire Council (73KB pdf)
Engagement
The Committee's Outreach Service conducted engagement phone calls with representative groups and third sector organisations to further inform the Committee’s inquiry. Notes of these calls are set out below:
Correspondence
The Minister for Older People and Equalities wrote to the Committee in January 2020, with additional information further to the evidence session in December 2019.
The Minister for Older People and Equalities responded specifically in relation to the review of the operation of the Public Sector Equality Duty in Scotland.
On 2 March 2021, the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills provided a further update.
On 29 March, the Scottish Government published it's final report on Race Equality Action Plan
The committee received the following responses from public authorities to it's letter of 3 February.