Group to lead equality push post-COVID

An expert advisory board to push for a fairer, more equal Scotland in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is to be set up by the Scottish Government.

With membership comprising those with expertise from equality and disabled people’s organisations, housing and homelessness bodies, town centre and regeneration groups, and anti-poverty campaigners, the group will hear and learn from people with lived experience of poverty and inequality.

It will be jointly chaired by Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell and Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. Members will include Emma Ritch of Engender, Jon Sparkes of Crisis, and the Scottish Refugee Council’s Sabir Zazai.

Ms Campbell explained: "The health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19 have not been experienced equally in Scotland. This pandemic has highlighted existing inequalities, some of which have persisted for decades, and in many cases has made them more pronounced.

"The crisis has given the Scottish Government and our partners the opportunity to challenge traditional ways of working – and in some cases this has brought about real change. We need to build on that progress to create a fairer, more equal Scotland in the post-pandemic era.

"That is why independent advice from leading experts and people with lived experience will be so important as we face the challenge of our long-term social renewal over the coming months and years.”

Ms Somerville added: "While we are facing an extremely difficult period of recovery, particularly for the economy, we must focus on supporting people in the most effective way. We must continue to consider the impact our policies have on all protected characteristics including sex, race and disability. The advisory board will guide us and ensure our actions give people more control over their own lives."

• The Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has also launched a statutory inquiry into the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on people from ethnic minorities in England, Scotland and Wales, to help it develop recommendations for urgent action to tackle entrenched racial inequalities. It believes these have resulted in the pandemic having a disproportionate impact on people from a range of ethnic minorities. Its terms of inquiry will be agreed and published "in the coming weeks".