What assessment it has made of progress on implementing Diversity Delivers: A strategy for enhancing equality of opportunity in Scotland's …

In line with the commitments contained within the Diversity Delivers strategy, the Scottish Government remains committed to the progression of the public appointments diversity agenda and to building on the work begun through Diversity Delivers. Following the publication of the Diversity Delivers – Three Years On report in November 2011, which provided an assessment of progress at that stage, responsibility for delivering the diversity agenda passed to the Scottish Government‘s Public Appointments Centre of Expertise (PACE).To support our progress, we created a dedicated public appointments website, www.appointed-for-scotland.org, in 2009. This was followed by the setting up of PACE in 2011, to advise on and to administer the regulated public appointments process across the Scottish Government. We have also undertaken a range of outreach activity and awareness-raising to promote understanding of what board positions are, explaining the work of non-executive board members and how to apply for opportunities. A variety of events have taken place every year since 2008, most recently, in 2013, sessions for the Scottish Housing Regulator to encourage applications from homeless people and those in rented accommodation. All events focused on groups under-represented on Scotland’s public boards. PACE continues to be actively engaged with our equality colleagues and others to identify suitable future events. In addition we have produced and distributed a DVD on public appointments and a short written guide on the work of boards jointly with the then Public Appointments Commissioner and a PACE Twitter account is planned by April 2014. This will promote public appointment vacancies and outreach events. The initial cost of the DVD was £2705: reprint costs are £248.73 per 100. There are no associated costs for the outreach programme and Twitter except staff costs.
We have also used a range of different application and selection methods to attract a wider pool of applicants. These have varied by individual appointment round. They have included shortened applications that test fewer criteria at application stage, tailored life/career history, personal statements, pre-set questions, notes of interest and bespoke application support and altered interview processes and assessment centre exercises. Some progress has been made in enhancing the diversity of our public appointments but we will continue to develop and monitor this.
To highlight the importance we place on this issue, a Public Boards and Corporate Diversity Programme Board was established late last year to drive forward a programme of activity in relation to enhancing the diversity of Scotland’s public appointments. Its first meeting was held on 9 December 2013, with a second on 11 February 2014. All of our current diversity activity is being delivered in line with the Public Boards and Corporate Diversity Programme Board programme.