The Integration of the British Transport Police in Scotland into Police Scotland - A Consultation

This consultation paper sets out proposed arrangements to integrate the British Transport Police in Scotland into Police Scotland. It invites views on how all those responsible can: ensure a smooth transition towards integration; ensure railway policing i


Chapter 5: Assessing Impact

Equality

78. In integrating the BTP in Scotland into Police Scotland the public sector equality duty requires the Scottish Government to pay due regard to the need to:

  • eliminate discrimination, victimisation, harassment or other unlawful conduct that is prohibited under the Equality Act 2010;
  • advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; and
  • foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic.

79. These three requirements apply across the 'protected characteristics' of:

  • age;
  • disability;
  • gender reassignment;
  • marriage and civil partnership;
  • pregnancy and maternity;
  • race;
  • religion and belief;
  • sex and sexual orientation.

80. At this early stage in our planning for integration it is difficult to determine whether significant equality effects are likely to arise and the aim of the Scottish Government is to use this consultation process as a means to fully explore the likely equality effects.

81. Once completed the Scottish Government intends to determine, using the consultation process, any actions needed to meet its statutory obligations. Your comments received will be used to complete a full Equality Impact Assessment and to determine if any further work in this area is needed.

Q8: Are there any likely impacts the proposals contained in this consultation may have on particular groups of people, with reference to the 'protected characteristics' listed above? Please be as specific as possible.

Business and Regulation

82. In our integration of the BTP in Scotland into Police Scotland a Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment will analyse whether a policy is likely to increase or reduce the costs and burdens placed on businesses, the public sector and voluntary and community organisations.

Q9: Do you think the proposals contained in this consultation are likely to increase or reduce the costs and burdens placed on any sector? Please be as specific as possible.

Privacy

83. A full Privacy Impact Assessment will be conducted to ascertain whether our proposal to integrate the British Transport Police in Scotland into Police Scotland may have an impact on the privacy of individuals.

84. At this early stage in our planning for integration it is difficult to determine whether significant privacy effects are likely to arise and the aim of the Scottish Government is to use this consultation process as a means to fully explore the likely privacy effects.

Q10: Are there any likely impacts the proposals contained in this consultation may have upon the privacy of individuals? Please be as specific as possible.

Environmental

85. In our integration of the BTP in Scotland into Police Scotland the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 ensures those public plans that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment are assessed and measures to prevent or reduce adverse effects are sought, where possible, prior to the main consultation and implementation of the plan.

86. At this early stage in our planning for integration it is difficult to determine whether significant environmental effects are likely to arise and the aim of the Scottish Government is to use this consultation process as a means to fully explore the likely environmental effects. Once completed the Scottish Government intends to determine, using this consultation process, any actions needed to meet its statutory obligations.

Q11: Are there any likely impacts the proposals contained in this consultation may have upon the environment? Please be as specific as possible.

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