Gypsy/Travellers Action Plan: Ministerial Oversight Group minutes - May 2024

Attendees and apologies

Members 

• Emma Roddick, Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees (Co-Chair)
• Councillor Maureen Chalmers, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing (Co-Chair)
• Paul McLennan, Minister for Housing 
• Natalie Don, Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise
• Jenni Minto, Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health

 

In attendance

• Simon Bonsall, Senior Planner, Directorate for Local Government and Housing (on behalf of Joe Fitzpatrick, Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning)

 

Apologies

• Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care – alternating attendance with Ms Minto
• Joe Fitzpatrick MSP, Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning 

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) welcomed all to the meeting.

Remit of MOG

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) noted the remit of MOG as being to discuss policy areas and topics that engage the Gyspy/Traveller communities and cut across Ministerial portfolios. The Scottish Government has a longstanding commitment to ensuring we support Gypsy/Travellers, one of the most marginalised individuals in society. 

Improving the lives of Gypsy/Traveller communities is crucial to tackle deep-rooted inequalities and deliver a fairer Scotland. Therefore, specific, targeted actions are needed to ensure we can break the cycle of poor quality of life. 

In partnership with COSLA, the Scottish Government published an action plan in October 2019 setting out concrete steps for improving outcomes for Gypsy/Travellers. 

The Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) noted the extension of the action plan to 2023 (from 2021) in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and highlighted the need to consider the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on Gypsy/Traveller communities. A new action plan is on course for publication at the end of this summer, for which the MOG will provide support in the development phase, but also a scrutiny function to ensure sound delivery and improvements across all relevant portfolio areas.

Terms of reference

The Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) gave an overview of the group’s terms of reference and invited comment. 

In discussion that followed:

• Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise emphasised the importance of ensuring that the voices of children and young people, noting that her engagement so far has been with the parents of Gyspy/Travellers children and young people as opposed to directly with them
• Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) noted her engagement with young Gyspy/Travellers organised by STEP the previous October but also invited officials to make sure to include Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise in future engagements
• Chair (Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, COSLA) highlighted upcoming meeting between COSLA, Scottish Government and Article 12 in Scotland on education as an opportunity to engage on Gypsy/Traveller children and young people
• all ministers in attendance indicated that they were content with the group’s terms of reference

Update on Gypsy/Travellers work

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) noted that she had taken up her portfolio at a time when the action plan was warmly welcomed. She highlighted the significant trust built between authorities and Gypsy/Traveller communities and emphasising our commitment to building on that.

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) noted the context of budgetary constraints, emphasising the need to keep the attention on future funding to continue improvement. There is ongoing work in areas including education and health such maternity care and awareness raising around rights and duties of patients and professionals. There are also improvements on Gypsy/Traveller sites, which communities are keen to see continue.

Chair (Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, COSLA) noted: 

• a review report of the previous Action Plan be published along with the new one in late summer 2024
• the ‘Local Leaders Network’ – which is open to any councillor with an interest in Gyspy/Traveller issues, has been re-established. The aim is to ensure lived experience and professional practice is embedded in the Network’s discussions, adding that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month would present an opportunity to engage further with members of the communities
• the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund, part of which has gone to developing an Aberdeen site recently reopened with modern facilities and more space, has had a positive impact. Opportunity to visit Aberdeen’s Clinterty Site and speak to residents, who were positive about the engagement and development of the site, is welcome

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) reiterated that the consistent message from communities has been that good progress is being made, and re-affirmed commitment to building on that progress.

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) noted:

• the opportunities around data collection and improvement that the census brings due to there being an option to select a Gypsy/Traveller box and a Roma box. However, there has been discontent in communities that both groups are under the ‘white’ category in the census
• the need to focus on Roma communities as well. Scottish Government has started a scoping work to understand how to better support such communities

Chair (Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, COSLA) highlighted that COSLA has political commitment to support the Gypsy/Travellers Action Plan and she is open to exploring how we support Roma communities in the future. 

Next steps

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) highlighted that a listening exercise had been taking place across Scotland from summer 2023 and was due to conclude summer 2024. The objective of the listening exercise is to ensure representative community participation in the development of the Gyspy/Traveller Action Plan refresh 2024/26, giving focus to deliverable and concrete actions.

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) mentioned that officials across all the relevant policy areas have been asked to draft actions in collaborations with key partners and in line with what we have been hearing during the listening exercise. Ministers were asked to consider with their officials if and how they can strengthen and finalise their contribution to the Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan.

Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health noted the ‘Tinker’s Heart’ and Auchendrain Museum in her constituency of Argyll and Bute. She highlighted them as examples of Gyspy/Traveller communities supporting each other, and the need to draw learning from that. 

Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health also highlighted:

• the value of the Community Health Worker programme, and the need to mainstream that practice across all health boards as opposed to the present seven. There are specific areas to look at in terms of health; vaccinations; children and young people; women’s health; and screening. Officials are working with health boards building understanding of the needs of the community
• agreed that there are many positives to draw from the action plan

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees) noted the need for stronger anti-bullying measures, such as including culturally appropriate advice in the education context. She met young Gyspy/Travellers in October 2023 to discuss these issues. She also agreed on the importance of engaging community members and empowering them to talk about issues such as women’s health and would be glad to support other Ministers’ work in this area.

Senior Planner, Directorate for Local Government and Housing (on behalf of Joe Fitzpatrick, Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning) updated that:

• there have been actions taken in the planning system in response to the current Action Plan, including new policies within the fourth National Planning Framework. Planning system work will continue to pick up on comments from the listening exercise. For example, a training session involving MECOPP and heads of planning is to be held, demonstrating commitment to continuing to build relationships and trust

Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees noted update, welcoming the commitment to ensuring that authorities are evolving and adapting to changing needs of Gyspy/Traveller communities.

Any other business

N/A

Close

Chair (Minister for Equalities, Migration and refugees) thanked everyone for attending the meeting and their contribution. The minute of the meeting will be circulated for clearance and to ensure actions can be followed through. Suggested dates for the next meeting will also be circulated.

Actions

• officials will circulate the minute of this meeting for clearance. It will be published on the Scottish Government’s website after that (June)
• officials will send finalised actions to Ministers for clearance (August)
• officials will organise another MOG meeting in September to discuss and formally agree on the new action plan (September)