Scottish Parliament (Disqualification of Councillors) Regulations 2025: equality impact assessment

The Scope of the EQIA

The EqIA has assessed the potential impact of the SSI by considering whether the equality evidence indicates potential differential impacts on persons with protected characteristics or provides an opportunity to improve equality in an area. In line with the requirements of the general equality duty, it considers the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the act;
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not; and
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.

The measures outlined in the SSI (as summarised in the section above) are narrow in nature, and the Scottish Government does not consider these to have an equality impact as the cohort of individuals directly affected is small.

The following protected characteristics have been considered in the EqIA:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation