AI, Data & Technology

Background / Overview – Scotland

Background / Overview – UK

Strategy Policy, Legislation

Listed Authorities

Race Equality Framework (REF)

Immediate Priorities Plan (IPP)

AI, Data & Technology- IPP Recommendation

Link	Description
IPP – IDE 02: Improving Ethnicity Coding Through Improved Data Infrastructure – Linkage to the Census	The census currently provides the most robust information on ethnicity for the population of Scotland. Data linkage to the census should be immediately pursued by the Scottish Government to monitor the equity of the COVID-19 response in relation to ethnicity. This should not only include the immediate infectious consequences of COVID-19 (such as risks of infection, hospitalisation and death), but also secondary health harms arising from the pandemic response (such as reductions in the use of appropriate healthcare for other health conditions). If a vaccination becomes available, monitoring of its uptake by ethnicity should also be pursued using data linkage. Under the principle of collecting data once but making use of it many times, linkage to the census should be pursued to allow long-term monitoring and research of ethnic inequalities in health. At present, linkage is done for the purposes of a specific project and for this reason such analyses are often not conducted in a timely manner and are resource intensive. The ERG recommends the addition of an ethnicity field derived from the census is added to an appropriate population spine (such as the Community Health Index, CHI) which would be available for routine analyses without requiring approval from multiple organisations. This recommendation should be considered an important priority which could substantially improve data quality and facilitate timely and responsive analysis.
IPP – IDE 03: Improving Ethnicity Coding Through Improved Data Infrastructure – Develop a CHI field	Allow information to be accessible if provided to any health database only once. This will need maintenance/integration within the Community Health Index (CHI) system and a way to decide on conflicts in classification between databases over time. Similarly, some process for updating the information on an occasional basis will likely be necessary. The CHI is due to be substantially revised within the next 1-2 years, providing an opportunity to embed ethnicity within the system. This single change could make a major impact on the potential 7 for conducting analyses of health data by ethnicity, since this information would then be readily available within many health datasets. There would be considerable synergies if combined with recommendation 2.
IPP – IDE 04: Improving Ethnicity Coding Through Improved Data Infrastructure – Ethnic Group populations	Monitoring of health outcomes by ethnic group should be updated regularly and more frequently than the decennial census, as it is difficult to monitor without up-to-date populations on which to base rates. This is particularly the case in Scotland with the relatively small numbers of many minority ethnic groups and also the fact that many minority ethnic groups have relatively young populations compared to White Scottish/British and so risks can be masked by generally better outcomes in younger people if looking at outcomes at an aggregate level (Note, this was case with recent PHS Ethnicity analysis where the raised risk in South Asians was only apparent after adjustment for underlying age and sex in general population). Attempts have been made previously by NRS and ONS to look at inter-census estimates, but they appear to have stalled. A group at Leeds University have produced broad population projections for ethnic groups based on a number of assumptions (ETHPOP12). Similar work to produce inter-census estimates should be taken forward by the Scottish Government and the NRS within the next six months.
IPP – IDE 05: Improving Ethnicity Coding Through Improved Data Infrastructure – Social Care Data	At present, the provision of social care is highly varied across local authorities and data is not collected in a harmonised manner to facilitate robust analysis. There are considerable efforts to improve the quality and harmonisation of data ongoing and the inclusion of ethnicity within such efforts is important. The need for social care provision that is tailored to an ethnically diverse population is likely to increase substantially in coming years, as the proportion of older people who are minority ethnic increases. The Scottish Government and local authorities must make a clear commitment to address data deficits on ethnicity within the social care system.
IPP – IDE 06: Improving Ethnicity Coding Through Improved Data Infrastructure – Flexibility in Data Collection	The analysis of administrative data provides a number of advantages for monitoring ethnic inequalities, including the large size of datasets (which allows minority ethnic groups to be analysed) and its relative efficiency and affordability. However, administrative data will not always be appropriate and there will continue to be a need for bespoke data collection for specific purposes, including monitoring the needs of particularly vulnerable groups or when administrative data does not capture the required information. For example, migrants who have no recourse to public funds are a particularly vulnerable group and specific data collection efforts may be required to respond to their needs. Sufficient resources will need to be made available for data collection for these specific purposes. Furthermore, existing survey datasets often do not include large enough groups of minority ethnic people to allow analyses by ethnicity. Consideration should be given to the need for boosting samples of ethnic minority participants. Often there will be a strong case for collecting qualitative data to supplement the quantitative data that has been the focus of this paper.
IPP – IDE 08: Improving Ethnicity Data Collection at Source – Primary Care Health Ethnicity Data Collection	Collection of ethnicity information at the time of GP registration provides an opportunity for substantial improvements to health ethnicity data. The current level of completeness is low, so mandating ethnicity data collection within general practice must be taken forward by the Scottish Government. However, the pressures on general practice are considerable at this time, so there is a need to ensure partnership with GPs, the Royal College of General Practitioners and other primary care staff to explore how best to take this work forward.
IPP – IDE 09: Improving Ethnicity Data Collection at Source – Participation by Minority Ethnic People and Communities	Minority ethnic people and communities must be at the heart of any initiatives to improve ethnicity recording and closely involved in driving forward such initiatives. Minority ethnic communities racialised by the data process need to be involved to make sure it is worthwhile and not just another tick box exercise. This will help ensure the work meets the needs of Scotland’s diverse communities and also facilitate success. It should be noted that not being willing to provide ethnicity information is rare when the reason for its collection is appropriately explained. The perspectives of minority ethnic people and communities should also be brought into the data collection process to ensure greater understanding in relation to the importance of safeguarding data. Caldicott guardians should be supported to understand how racism and racialisation plays out in the systems of data collection and analysis in order to inform their responsibilities regarding the lawful and ethical processing of information. This should include awareness of the risks of both use and non-use of data.
IPP – IDE 10: Improving Workforce Data – Monitoring Workforce Data	COVID-19 has highlighted the issue of racism experienced by many of those working in the health and social care sector. While overt racism is relatively uncommon, evidence of institutional discrimination has accumulated. For example, minority ethnic groups have been more likely to report inadequate or needing to re-use personal and protective equipment. More generally and before the COVID-19 pandemic, a special series within the BMJ medical journal highlighted the systemic nature of racism within Medicine, with minority ethnic groups less likely to be promoted and occupy positions of prestige. Monitoring of the minority ethnic diversity of frontline NHS and social care staff is required urgently by NHS Scotland to be able to appropriately respond to concerns raised by employee representative bodies such as the Unison and STUC Black workers committees. In respect of COVID-19, unions identified that Black workers were disproportionately exposed to COVID risks. The experience of Black workers and others highlights both the legal duty to respond to these minority ethnic workers and also instigate transformative consultations with workers and others to respond to the experience of racialisation in our institutions and systems. NHS Scotland and public service organisations should put in place effective and sustained systems to record ethnicity of the workforce and analyse workforce data and surveys to show the variation in experience of employment by ethnic group.
IPP – IDE 11: Improving Workforce Data – NHS Workforce Data	NHS Education for Scotland (NES) are responsible for collecting, analysing and publishing NHS workforce data, and high-level ethnicity data is published annually. NES must address data quality issues and regularly report on progress in achieving equity in relation to NHS workforce issues for minority ethnic staff. This includes information on pay, promotion and recruitment. We would expect NES to monitor the quality and completeness of the data and report regularly on any gaps within that data. We would also expect the Scottish Government to provide oversight of progress on improvement.
IPP – IDE 12: Improving Workforce Data – Social Care Workforce Data	At present, no national workforce data for social care is available for Scotland, with individual local authorities responsible for its provision. Data does not appear to be regularly collated or reported and this may mean that monitoring by ethnicity is not possible within much of Scotland due to the relatively small numbers of minority ethnic people in many individual local authorities. Given the integration of health and social care, joint work by Scottish Government and local authorities is needed to ensure that minority ethnic workers are treated equitably within social care. This may require data specifications to be included within contracting processes made between commissioners and providers, informed by nationally agreed data standards. This would allow minority ethnic groups to be studied at a national level.
IPP – IDE 13: Reporting, Accountability and Governance – Reporting Data by Ethnicity	a) The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for ongoing monitoring of health (and other) data by ethnicity. The lack of reporting of datasets that are available by ethnicity can serve to make ethnic inequalities in health hidden and threatens the case for maintaining data quality. It is therefore crucial that data when available and robust enough for analysis are published and disseminated to policymakers, practitioners and communities. We recommend that: A dashboard is created by the Scottish Government to report regularly on the impact of decisions made by the public bodies on minority ethnic people and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, this should also include data from the disruption to health and social care (second-order effects), and financial poverty (third-order effects). b) Public Health Scotland must publish an annual monitoring report on ethnic group health inequalities in Scotland. c) The National Performance Framework must include specific indicators on the impact of racialised inequalities or the impact of systemic racism on minority ethnic people to supplement the current 81 National Indicators.
IPP – IDE 14: Reporting, Accountability and Governance – Accountability and Governance	a) In order to ensure that issues on racism and ethnicity are taken seriously then people within Scottish Government, the NHS, local authorities and other public sector organisations need to be accountable for taking forward this advice and recommendations with speed and commitment. Putting a measurable racism and ethnicity objective in every Scottish Government Health Director and NHS Chief Executive’s performance objectives would provide some motivation and personal incentive to drive this forward. The ERG would be happy to discuss what these objectives could be. b) Each public body that has duties under the Equality Act should publish its scheme of governance to ensure adequate data recording, analysis and presentation of information to demonstrate their commitment to monitoring and tackling inequalities. Public bodies should do this in the interests of access, experience and outcome for services to minority ethnic groups that it provides, providing specific analysis of conditions of interest such as COVID-19, and the fair employment of staff by ethnic group using agreed indicators. In line with the reporting recommendation in relation to the National Performance Framework above, actions taken to improve indicators contained within the National Performance Framework should be publicly reported, with designated Scottish Government leads for responding to each indicator.
IPP – SIR 07: Short-Term Actions – Accountability – Independent Oversight Commission	a) A key recommendation is to establish a more effective accountability and governance infrastructure in Scotland. b) The proposal is that a new infrastructure, building on what exists already, should embed four elements (1) An Observatory which brings together quantitative and qualitative data on ethnic and racial inequalities in Scotland. This should not only include epidemiological data but also cultural, historical and other socio political and economic factors. (2) A repository which holds historical and current evidence from arrange of different sources to maintain awareness and inform actions. (3) Collaboration that reflects the consensus between the Scottish Government and all other relevant stakeholders that Scotland needs to better engage with the experiences of those racialised in society. (4) Co-production processes led by those who are most affected by its outcomes. c) It is important that there is independent external oversight of the work and linked to work that is being taken forward elsewhere in Scotland. An independent Oversight Commission must be put in place consisting of representatives from minority ethnic communities, academia, third sector and other national and international experts. The Oversight Commission should provide strategic oversight to the progression of the recommendations made by the Group and also any future Race Equality Action Plans put in place by the Scottish Government. d) The ERG propose that options for the status, structure, remit, staffing complement and resourcing of the Oversight Commission needs to be urgently explored, including with the full co-participation of minority ethnic people and communities.
IPP – SIR 08: Short-Term Actions – Functions	a) The functions of the infrastructure should include: Collection, analysis and publication of government, local authority, public body ethnic, and private sector ethnic minority data and evidence – Helping Directorates within Scottish Government to develop, monitor, implement and evaluate policies to reduce ethnic disparities – providing leadership to improve the quality of Scottish Government, local authority and other public bodies in their collection, analysis and reporting of data on minority ethnic groups, as well as actions to address these inequalities. Reporting regularly on the impact of policies on racialised inequality in Scotland. Creating an open data source which is kept updated in order to monitor and act on the impact of Scottish Government plans and expenditure on minority ethnic people and communities. Highlighting priority areas for investment to boost progress in affected communities across Scotland. Reporting and sharing best practice. b) As a priority, the Scottish Government should conduct an inequalities audit across the Scottish Government and other public bodies' functions. Government should work with the NHS, local authorities and other public service partners to ensure that data relating to workforce and the use of public services is accurate, comprehensive, accessible, can be ethnically disaggregated and is regularly monitored and reviewed. That work should include the investigation of any ethnic disparities. Where data disaggregated by ethnicity is not available, the Scottish Government must make the necessary investments or policy changes to address this. Any Scottish infrastructure should be multi-disciplinary, seek international guidance and expertise, especially in relation to understanding how systemic, structural/ institutional racism manifests and is sustained, as well as learn lessons from the experiences of the UK Racial Disparities Unit.
IPP – SIR 09: Short-Term Actions – Anti-Racism Actions	A) Given the new post-COVID-19 landscape and the highlighting of problems of institutional racism within the existing functions and systems of the state, there needs to be a focus on racism and anti-racism actions within the strategies and plans across the Scottish Government, local authorities and public bodies. B) The Race Equality Action Plan is due to be renewed in 2021 and to ensure that a gap is not created as a result of the Scottish Parliamentary elections next year, planning for the renewal should start as soon as possible, with a clear focus that the actions in any revised plan will be explicitly anti-racist, with clear actions, outputs and measurable outcomes
IPP – SIR 10: Short-Term Actions – Corporate Accountability	An anti-racist progress measure should be included in the performance objectives of all Scottish Government Directors and Chief Executives (or equivalent) of every public body in Scotland. This will help ensure that addressing systemic racism gets the leadership it requires and senior public sector managers will be accountable for actions taken.
IPP – SIR 11: Short-Term Actions – National Performance Framework	The National Performance Framework must include analysis and narrative on disparities for minority ethnic people within all progress reporting. Work to improve the data and evidence across Scottish Government must be undertaken and where data disaggregated by ethnicity is not available, there should be the necessary resources to make the investments or policy changes to address this.
IPP – SIR 12: Short-Term Actions – A Measure of Racism	The Scottish Government should explore the development of a workable measure of racism and discrimination and its impact on physical and mental health. This should be done in collaboration with leading international experts and be supported through a programme of rapid learning from the experiences internationally.
IPP – SIR 14: Short-Term Actions – Recovery and Remobilisation Plans, Investment Fund and Reporting:	(a) The Scottish Government should take action to ensure that COVID does not exacerbate existing racialised socio-economic inequalities, including measures to ensure that recovery and remobilisation plans do not discriminate against people from ethnic minorities. (b) The Scottish Government’s response to the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery recognised the necessity of embedding an Equalities and Human Rights approach across our policy thinking and development for economic recovery and renewal. The response recognised in the need for action in areas such as employment, skills and training, job support for young people and support for those seeking work or at risk of long-term unemployment. Opportunities for minority ethnic youth must be targeted and progressed as part of contractual agreements where public bodies are spending on significant capital infrastructure projects or modern apprenticeship programmes. ( c )The Scottish Government should take action to set up a Race Equality Transformational Investment Scheme. This fund should focus on the systemic change issues highlighted in this paper and use a participatory and empowerment model where ethnic minority communities are able to direct funding to areas of public service that need to change during the upcoming recovery and remobilisation phases.

Other Accountability Mechanisms

Equity Reports

Mainstreaming Report

AI, Data & Technology – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025

Link	Description
Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Employer Outcomes – Improved Monitoring and Reporting	Clearly defined success measures are critical for tracking progress. Developing robust frameworks and identifying accountable leads for each outcome can enhance transparen
Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Employer Outcomes – Workplace – Policy Leads Feedback on Outcomes	Feedback from policy leads across government highlighted several challenges with the 2021–2025 equality outcomes. The broad wording of the outcomes, coupled with the absence of specific underpinning actions, made it difficult to allocate clear responsibilities to individual teams for driving progress. This lack of defined actions created significant barriers to identifying and utilising data to demonstrate progress towards achieving the outcomes. As a result, opportunities to measure impact effectively, identify gaps, and adapt approaches were limited, ultimately reducing the potential for meaningful and sustained progress. We have identified the following lessons from this experience.
Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Equality Evidence	Significant progress has been made in strengthening our approach to equality evidence, with ongoing efforts to enhance data collection and address evidence gaps. Our experience has highlighted the importance of aligning data initiatives with existing strategies, such as the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023- 2025 which promotes the use, collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data across Scottish Government. As reported in Evidence Strategy’s Interim Review at the end of 2024, of the 45 actions in the Strategy, 14 were ‘complete’ and 23 were ‘on course’, demonstrating strong commitment to advancing equality evidence across many policy areas. While the previous mainstreaming equality outcome was broad, it has driven valuable work, laying a strong foundation for more targeted improvements. Moving forward, we are refining our focus to improve the collection of disaggregated data, explore intersectionality, and ensure our evidence base directly informs policy and service delivery. This reflection has shaped our new outcomes, ensuring they are clear, measurable, and impactful.

Periodic Report Recommendations

AI, Data & Technology – Periodic Report Recommendation

Link	Description
Periodic Review Recommendation 14: Counter-Terrorism Measures	Counter-terrorism measures: The Committee urges the State party to revise the “CONTEST” and “Prevent” counter-terrorism strategies, including the “prevent duty”, with a view to eliminating any discriminatory and disproportionate impact on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of members of ethnic and ethno-religious minorities, including children. It recommends that the State party suspend the “prevent duty” and adopt robust measures to guarantee that, for as long as these counter-terrorism strategies remain in force, they do not result, in purpose or effect, in profiling and discrimination against ethnic and ethno-religious minorities. It further recommends that the State party ensure that there are effective and independent monitoring mechanisms, as well as sufficient safeguards, against the abuse of the existing measures and that the persons affected, including children and their families, have access to prompt and effective remedies and adequate reparations.

Link

Description

Periodic Review Recommendation 14: Counter-Terrorism Measures

Counter-terrorism measures: The Committee urges the State party to revise the “CONTEST” and “Prevent” counter-terrorism strategies, including the “prevent duty”, with a view to eliminating any discriminatory and disproportionate impact on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of members of ethnic and ethno-religious minorities, including children. It recommends that the State party suspend the “prevent duty” and adopt robust measures to guarantee that, for as long as these counter-terrorism strategies remain in force, they do not result, in purpose or effect, in profiling and discrimination against ethnic and ethno-religious minorities. It further recommends that the State party ensure that there are effective and independent monitoring mechanisms, as well as sufficient safeguards, against the abuse of the existing measures and that the persons affected, including children and their families, have access to prompt and effective remedies and adequate reparations.

Dr Addy's – Scottish Anti-Racism Resource Library (ARRL)