Equality Impact Assessments & Related Training

Summary

The requester sought details on the rollout of Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) toolkits, training records, and a list of completed EIAs since 2023 for the Cabinet Office and other departments. The Cabinet Office clarified it only holds information for itself and centrally recorded training, subsequently disclosing EIA workshop materials and screening templates while noting it does not hold EIA lists for other departments.

Key Facts

• The Cabinet Office does not hold Equality Impact Assessment data for other departments and advised the requester to contact them directly.
• The authority provided copies of EIA workshop slides and an Equality Impact Screening template as part of the disclosure.
• The training materials cover the Public Sector Equality Duty, including eliminating discrimination and advancing equality of opportunity.
• The screening process involves assessing potential impacts on nine protected characteristics, including age, race, disability, and sexual orientation.
• The request was clarified to cover the period from 1st January 2023 to the date of the request.

Data Disclosed

• 2024-11-26
• 2025-01-16
• 2023
• 27 November 2024
• 28 November
• 3 December 2024
• 1st January 2023
• 23 pages
• 5 documents
• FOI reference 3634490
• case_id: 4280469

Original Request

Dear Sirs Further to the response provided under FOI reference 3634490 please provide the following information: 1) Equality Impact Assessment Toolkit and Training - Has there been any progress on the rollout of the Equality Impact Assessment toolkit and the commencement of related training for public servants since September 2023 (as mentioned in response 3634490) - If so, which Departments currently have trained officers in place? - please provide copies of materials and training notes 2) Data Transparency and Publication of EIAs - Please provide a list of all Equality Impact Assessments completed since 2023 for all departments. -Are there plans to ensure completed Equality Impact Assessments are published? If so, where will these be made publicly accessible? Please confirm any further work undertaken by the department to ensure the full compliance with the equality act and any further areas the department has planed to ensure training is embedded throughout the organisation. On 27 November 2024 we wrote to you to ask you to provide clarification: In order to identify and locate the information that you have asked for we need to seek clarification from you. Your request asks for information from all Departments which we do not hold. We will only be able to respond on the basis of information held by the Cabinet Office. So that we can assist you and locate the relevant information, could you please consider re-wording your request on this basis please? If you wish to ask for information concerning other Departments a request can be made separately to those Departments directly here: https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/ On 27 November 2024 you provided clarification as follows: Thank you for your email. If the details could be provided for the cabinet office and any other department that reports such information to you or records of training that are kept centrally in relation to this matter by the cabinet office in relation to training completed. If you could also provide copies of any guidance materials and or policy issued to departments in relation to the publication of EIA's On 28 November we wrote to ask you for clarification: In processing your request, a further point for clarification has been identified. In order to identify and locate the information that you have asked for we need some further information from you. You have requested a list of Equality Impact Assessments completed since 2023. When you refer to "since 2023", do you mean the period from 1st January 2023 until the date of your request, or do you mean the period from 1st January 2024 until the date of your request? On 3 December 2024 you provided the clarification as follows: Hi there Apologies for the delay from the period 1st January 2023

Data Tables (16)

Full Response Text

Equality Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Equality Impact Assessment Workshop Today we will… • Learn about the Public Sector Equality Duty and its purpose • Understand the process and use of impact assessments • Apply an impact assessment to a scenario In pairs, discuss: Have you ever been left out or not included in a conversation, activity or event? How did it make you feel? What impact did it have? How could it have been avoided or resolved? The Public Sector Equality Duty • Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation • Advance equality of opportunity • Foster good relations In the exercise of their functions, public authorities must have due regard to the need to: What is an Equality Impact Assessment? • An effective method of demonstrating compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty • Assess how policies and decisions of a public authority are likely to affect, or have affected people with protected characteristics • Chance to look for ways to promote equality and remove negative aspects or institutional discrimination Why complete an Equality Impact Assessment? In pairs, discuss the benefits of completing an Equality Impact Assessment Demonstrates a properly informed, evidence based robust decision that considers the likely impact on equality Best practice and evidence to defend legal challenge More responsive public services and polices which better meet the needs of staff, businesses and communities Step 1 - The Screening Process We’re planning, developing, reviewing or substantially changing a new or existing service, policy or strategy We’ve identified potential negative impact on equality groups We’re assessing the significance and proportionality of the negative impact We’ve identified a significant impact and will now complete a full equality impact assessment No significant impact identified. We sign off the screening document and schedule a review Age Religion and Belief Sexual Orientation Pregnancy & Maternity Race Sex Disability Marriage & Civil Partnership Gender Reassignment Scenario exercise In groups, have a go at completing an equality impact assessment for your scenario.

Equality Impact Screening Title of policy Person completing the screening assessment1: Date: Purpose of the policy: Questions to help you assess any positive, negative or unknown impact of your policy Indicate Y (Yes) or N (No)
Sex/ Gender2 Religion or Belief3 Age4 Disability5 Race & Ethnicity6 Sexual Orientation7 Trans (Gender Reassignment 8) Pregnancy & Maternity9 Marriage & Civil Partnership10 Is there any evidence that the different equality groups have different needs or issues in relation to the policy? Is there any potential that the policy may adversely affect equality of opportunity11 Could this policy harm good relations12 for any of the equality groups? Is there any potential that the policy could discriminate, directly13 or indirectly14? Is there any stakeholder concern in the policy about discrimination? Is there an opportunity to better promote either equality of opportunity or community relations by altering the policy? Is there evidence of physical access issues or non-physical accessibility issues (eg website access/documents)? If you have answered “N” to all these questions, an Equality Impact Assessment is not required If your answer is “Y” to any of these questions, then consider proportionality (resources/impact). Could you provide a lower standard of service to meet the needs of more users or offer a service on different terms to avoid negative impacts? If the impact has the potential to be significant, you should complete an Equality Impact Assessment using relevant data and/or consultation to inform your decision making before the policy decision is made.

Equality Impact Screening
Title of policy

Person completing the screening assessment1:

Date: Choose 1 of the following 3 declarations: ✓

There has been no impact identified on any of the protected characteristics so a full Equality Impact Assessment is NOT required

Some limited impact has been identified and having considered proportionality (size/cost/resources), a full Equality Impact Assessment is NOT required

A negative impact on one or more of the protected characteristics has been identified. A full Equality Impact Assessment IS REQUIRED BEFORE any decision is made

SIGN OFFS: Date: Person completing the screening assessment:

Person responsible for policy15:

Equality Adviser:

Guidance in relation to the Protected Characteristics

1 To complete this assessment you must have completed and passed both Isle of Man Government online training modules for Equality & Diversity and Introduction to Equality Impact Assessments.

2 Sex/Gender: Both men and women are covered under the Act.

3 Religion and Belief: Religion includes any religion with a clear structure and belief system (eg. Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu etc) Belief means any religious or philosophical belief. The Act also covers lack of religion or belief (eg aetheism)

4 Age: People of all ages. Under 18’s are not covered. Age can mean older, younger or people in certain groups ie over forties, under 25s.

Equality Impact Screening

5 Disability: A person is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The definition includes: sensory impairments, impairments with fluctuating or recurring effects, progressive, organ specific, developmental, learning difficulties, mental health conditions and mental illnesses, produced by injury to the body or brain. Persons with cancer, multiple sclerosis or HIV infection are all now deemed to be disabled persons from the point of diagnosis.

6 Race/Ethnicity: This includes ethnic or national origins, colour or nationality, and includes refugees and migrants, and Gypsies and Travellers. Refugees and migrants means people whose intention is to stay in the UK for at least twelve months (excluding visitors, short term students or tourists). This definition includes asylum seekers; voluntary and involuntary migrants; people who are undocumented; and the children of migrants, even if they were born in the UK.

7 Sexual Orientation: The Act protects bisexual, gay, heterosexual and lesbian and non-binary people.

8 Gender Reassignment: In the Act a transgender person is someone who proposes to, starts or has completed a process to change his or her gender. A person does not need to be under medical supervision to be protected.

9 Pregnancy and Maternity: Protection is during pregnancy and any statutory maternity leave to which the woman is entitled.

10 Marriage and Civil Partnership: Includes persons of same sex or opposite sex who are married or persons in a civil partnership. The Public Sector Equality Duty only needs to considered for the first aim of the duty which is to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation.

11 Equality of opportunity. This means the need to:
− Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by equality groups − Take steps to meet the needs of equality groups
− Encourage equality groups to participate in public life or any other activity where participation is disproportionately low − Consider if there is a need to treat disabled people differently, including more favourable treatment where necessary

12 Foster Good Relations – this means tackling prejudice, bias or stereotypes

13 Direct Discrimination is when you are treated less favourably than another person because: • of a protected characteristic you have; or • someone thinks you have that protected characteristic (known as discrimination by perception); or • you are connected to someone with that protected characteristic (known as discrimination by association)

Equality Impact Screening 14 Indirect discrimination happens when there is a policy, practice or process that applies in the same way for everybody but disadvantages a group of people who share a particular protected characteristic, and you are disadvantaged as part of this group. If this happens, the Government must show that there is a good business reason that is appropriate, necessary, reasonably and fair (objective justification). 15 To sign off this screening assessment you must have completed and passed both Isle of Man Government online training modules for Equality & Diversity (Equality Act 2017) and Introduction to Equality Impact Assessments.

Isle of Man Public Service Working together for the Isle of Man Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Principles Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Principles Purpose: The Isle of Man Public Service is committed to creating an inclusive culture which celebrates equality, diversity and inclusion. We understand how a wide range of views and experiences can benefit us as we work together for the Isle of Man regardless of:
 Age  Disability  Gender Reassignment  Marital and Civil Partnership status  Pregnancy and maternity  Race  Religion or Belief  Sex  Sexual Orientation We believe that every employee has the right to be treated with respect and dignity throughout their employment with us and not to be discriminated against and this starts with how we recruit. We seek to achieve higher standards than the minimum set out in legislation and we pro-actively encourage a culture that recruits and supports diversity and equal opportunity. Scope: This policy applies to all workers including employees, temporary workers, agency staff working on behalf of the Isle of Man Public Service. Our Commitment During Recruitment: We will:  Ensure that decisions affecting recruitment, promotion and career development are based on an individual’s ability and genuine occupational requirements.  Provide development and support for all recruiting managers so we consistently apply these commitments in practice.  Make adjustments to meet the needs of disabled employees, workers and applicants during the recruitment process where reasonable and possible to do so.  Ensure all recruitment publications and material reflect, in the language and images, the diversity of our employees and customers.  Ensure prospective applicants are given equal and reasonable access to adequate information about the post and its requirements, and about the selection process.  Consider applicants equally on merit at each stage of the selection process.  Ensure selection is based on relevant, non-discriminatory and objective criteria applied consistently to all applicants.  Ensure selection methods are reliable and free from bias.  Ask fair, objective and consistent competency and values based questions at interview.  Keep appropriate records of the recruitment and selection process, including interviews to objectively justify our decision.  Monitoring recruitment and selection to ensure equality of opportunity throughout the process and taking steps to eliminate any discriminatory practices. Working together for the Isle of Man 1 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Principles Promotion and Career Development: Decisions in respect of promotions and career development focus on skills and talents rather than assumptions based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Diversity Monitoring: To get an accurate picture and to identify any inequalities, we will collect, on a voluntary basis, individual personal information on the diversity of potential recruits and existing employees applying for vacancies.
All personal data is held securely and processed in compliance with the GDPR and any Codes of Practice that have been issued by the Information Commissioner. Complaints with respect to recruitment:
Applicants and Employees have the right to be treated with dignity and respect during the recruitment process and feel confident in raising any concerns they may have.
Should an employee or applicant believe they have been discriminated against during the recruitment process then they should raise these with the Office of Human Resources in the first instance. All concerns will be taken seriously and managers will work with employees to investigate these as quickly as possible, with sensitivity and where appropriate, seek to resolve these informally where possible.
Members of the public who wish to make a complaint can do so using our Complaints Procedure which can be found on our website. All complaints will be dealt with fairly and respectfully, regardless of the protected characteristic of the individual making the complaint.
Where needed, employees can use the Grievance procedures to raise issues which can not be resolved informally.
Assistance will be given to people who wish to make a complaint but require support or a different format to do so. Who can I contact for further information? If you need any assistance or further information please contact our Recruitment Team on 686300. Working together for the Isle of Man 2

1

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244
Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 4280469 16 January 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 26 November 2024, which states:

"Dear Sirs

Further to the response provided under FOI reference 3634490 please provide the following information:

1) Equality Impact Assessment Toolkit and Training

• Has there been any progress on the rollout of the Equality Impact Assessment toolkit and the commencement of related training for public servants since September 2023 (as mentioned in response 3634490)

• If so, which Departments currently have trained officers in place?

• please provide copies of materials and training notes

2) Data Transparency and Publication of EIAs

• Please provide a list of all Equality Impact Assessments completed since 2023 for all departments.

-Are there plans to ensure completed Equality Impact Assessments are published? If so, where will these be made publicly accessible?

Please confirm any further work undertaken by the department to ensure the full compliance with the equality act and any further areas the department has planed to ensure training is embedded throughout the organisation.

On 27 November 2024 we wrote to you to ask you to provide clarification, advising that we will only be able to respond on the basis of information held by the Cabinet Office and whether you wished to re-word your request on that basis. On 27 November 2024 you pr

[Response truncated — full text is 23,583 characters]