SNP manifesto commitments: FOI release

Information requested

I would like to ask if the following commitments made in the 2021 SNP manifesto have been fulfilled by the Scottish Government. Please provide as much detail on the progress of each pledge:

1. Support the development of a new Scottish Institute for Women’s Health to drive changes to policy, guidance and medical training on the basis of sex and gender medicine.

2. We will develop our next race equality action plan with stakeholders and ethnic minority communities to reach the objectives set out in our Race Equality Framework 2016-2030.

3. We will increase the number of minority ethnic people able to benefit from the new Minority Ethnic Leadership and Development Programme that has been established in partnership with the John Smith Centre.

4. We will increase support to projects which are supporting disabled people and those from a minority ethnic background into positions on public boards to increase representation.

5. Over the next parliamentary term, we will invest £10 million to increase the number of Changing Places toilets across the country and support mobile Changing Places toilets to allow people to access events or outdoor venues around the country.

6. We will review the Dangerous Dog Act to ensure our communities are kept safe from dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog owners.

7. To improve transparency and trust in the justice system, we will create a register.

8. We will also conduct a review of summary justice including sentencing powers, police and fiscal penalties and the future role of sheriff summary and JP courts.

9. We will consult on whether the dual functions of the Law Officers, as head of the independent prosecution service and principal legal advisers to the Scottish Government should be separated.

10. All new homes delivered by registered social landlords and local authorities will be zero emission homes by 2026.

Response

I enclose a copy of the information you requested.

The answer to your question is:

Support the development of a new Scottish Institute for Women’s Health to drive changes to policy, guidance and medical training on the basis of sex and gender medicine.

The Scottish Government decided not to proceed with proposals to establish an Institute for Women’s Health, but has instead sought to achieve a number of the outcomes envisaged for an Institute in the establishment and provision of funding for a Women’s Health Research Fund.

Most of the information you have requested is available from Women’s Health Research Fund and Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

We will develop our next race equality action plan with stakeholders and ethnic minority communities to reach the objectives set out in our Race Equality Framework 2016-2030.

The information you have requested is available from Race equality: immediate priorities plan - gov.scot and Anti-racism in Scotland: progress review 2023 - gov.scot. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

We will increase the number of minority ethnic people able to benefit from the new Minority Ethnic Leadership and Development Programme that has been established in partnership with the John Smith Centre.

In 2019 the Scottish Government provided the John Smith Centre with £470,000 to pilot a new targeted employment programme to support young minority ethnic people, furthest from the labour market, into
sustainable and fulfilling employment.

The John Smith Centre identified a series of employers from the public and third sector who could host a young person within their organisation for 9 months and offer mentoring to support the young person as they started their career journey.

After a very accessible and inclusive recruitment process, 50 young people were successful in gaining a place on the programme and were given a choice of employers to work at. Some were successful in securing permanent posts with their host organisation.

We will increase support to projects which are supporting disabled people and those from a minority ethnic background into positions on public boards to increase representation.

This SNP manifesto commitment has not been taken forward in the preceding Programme for Governments in 2021/2022, 2022/2023, 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026.

Over the next parliamentary term, we will invest £10 million to increase the number of Changing Places toilets across the country and support mobile Changing Places toilets to allow people to access events or outdoor venues around the country.

Most of the information you have requested is available from Investing in Changing Places Toilets - gov.scot. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

We will review the Dangerous Dog Act to ensure our communities are kept safe from dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog owners.

The information you have requested is available from Dangerous Dogs Act Short Life Working Group, XL Bully dogs in Scotland, The Dangerous Dogs (Designated Types) (Scotland) Order 2024, and The Dangerous Dogs (Compensation and Exemption Schemes) (Scotland) Order 2024. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

To improve transparency and trust in the justice system, we will create a register.

Work to consider the introduction of a Judicial Register of Interests (JRI) began following the commitment made in the Scottish Government’s 2021/22 Programme for Government, which reflected the SNP 2021 manifesto proposal to improve transparency and trust in the justice system. Although the JRI has not appeared in subsequent Programmes for Government, the commitment remains under active consideration.

In 2021, the Scottish Government undertook research into the potential introduction of a JRI in Scotland. This work included engagement with stakeholders and a review of approaches taken in other jurisdictions that had explored or implemented similar registers. Overall, stakeholder interest in the development of a JRI has been low.

While the 2021 manifesto commitment has not yet been implemented, the Scottish Government continues to consider options for enhancing transparency and accountability in the justice system, while also ensuring that judicial independence is appropriately protected.

Since 2022, the Scottish Government has received a number of Freedom of Information requests relating to a JRI. These were submitted in January 2022, April 2022, March 2023, and October 2023, all responses are publicly available and can be found at gov.scot. In July 2022, a written Parliamentary Question was also lodged by Russell Findlay MSP, seeking an update on progress; the response to this Parliament Question is publicly available and can be found here.

In addition, a petition calling for the introduction of a Judicial Register of Interests has been before the Scottish Parliament since 2012 JRI (Petition 1458). As of the latest update, it has received 87 We will also conduct a review of summary justice including sentencing powers, police and fiscal penalties and the future role of sheriff summary and JP courts.

We will also conduct a review of summary justice including sentencing powers, police and fiscal penalties and the future role of sheriff summary and JP courts.

In 2022 the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans agreed with officials that they conduct an internal review of sentencing powers, police and fiscal penalties and the future role of sheriff summary and JP courts. The review included consultation with justice partners about what SG should consult on for a year 4 Justice bill. The review was carried out in Oct 22 to Jan 23. Following advice after the review the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans agreed not to progress to consult on sentencing powers, police and fiscal penalties (other than the increase in fiscal fines which had been part of the package of measures legislated for in the Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022) and the future of the sheriff summary and JP courts at this time, but to continue to look at proposals for a consultation to support the proposals for a year 4 bill which are included in the attached document Scottish Government Consultation on Permanence of Coronavirus Recovery and Reform Act measures.signatures since 2012.

We will consult on whether the dual functions of the Law Officers, as head of the independent prosecution service and principal legal advisers to the Scottish Government should be separated.

Most of the information you have requested is available from Written question and answer: S6W-37544 | Scottish Parliament Website. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Publication of the peer review paper, referenced in the aforementioned link, including consideration of any next steps, had been planned for the end of 2025, and next steps are currently under active ministerial consideration.

All new homes delivered by registered social landlords and local authorities will be zero emission homes by 2026.

The information you have requested is available from Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP): process and procedures MHDGN 2023/01 - gov.scot and New Build Heat Standard - gov.scot. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

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