Diversity staff network spend: FOI release

Information requested

In each year since 2020-21, including the current year to date, how much has the Scottish Government spent on diversity networks. Please break down by network if possible. For clarity, here is what I mean by diversity network. Diversity Staff Network information: FOI release - gov.scot

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

All staff diversity networks within Scottish Government are peer-to-peer volunteer led communities run by employees within the organisation or one of its agencies. Employees are given time as part of their routine working hours to contribute to network activities. Access to funding outside of this is available via the network support framework budget on a case by case basis. All spending through this budget is currently subject to emergency spending measures (in place since August 2024) and is available to networks on a case-by-case basis. As per previous FOI 202500462504 Information held by the Scottish Government relating to Staff Networks: FOI release - gov.scot

Years 2020 - 2024

Please find below a table setting out network spending, broken down by year and by designated staff diversity network.

	Disabled Staff Network	Faith and Belief Network	LGBTI+Network	Race Equality Network	Socio Economic Diversity  Network	Womens Development Network	Intersectional involving more than one network
2020 – 2021	1781.33	0	0	0	0	0	0
2021 – 2022	2133.60	0	0	800.00	0	0	0
2022 – 2023	1473.22	100.00	850.00	1396.76	0	750.00	500.00
2023 – 2024	942.00	0*	1916.00	1830.00	500.00	0*	970.57

Year 2024 - 2025

Please note that where network events or activities have taken place towards the end of a financial year, payment or part payments may be made in different financial years.

To avoid double counting an * in the table above denotes where spending by staff networks for 2023/24 activities has been included in the network spending for financial year 2024/25 published in FOI202500462504.

Information held by the Scottish Government relating to Staff Networks: FOI release - gov.scot 

Additional spending for 2024 – 2025 by staff networks was as follows:

• LGBTI+ Network - £300. This was for activity that took place in 2023/24 but due to timing actual payment was made in 2024/25.
• Socio Economic Diversity Network - £480. This was for activity which took place in June 2024, predating the spending controls.

Year 2025 - 2026

No information is available for the year 2025 - 2026. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

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