Current status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what equality impact assessments were carried out in advance of the reported comments by the Permanent Secretary regarding an ambition for civil servants to work in the office for at least 60% of their contracted hours.
A full Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA) has been completed for the new hybrid working policy for core Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to spend 40% of their contracted hours working in person either in our workplaces, with stakeholders or in communities.
The EQIA has been published on the Scottish Government’s intranet for all affected staff to access, and will continue to be reviewed.
Diversity and inclusion have been central to the Scottish Government’s approach: alongside working with, and formally consulting, recognised trade unions, officials engaged Scottish Government staff diversity networks, who also input to the EQIA.