Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)

Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

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Question reference: S6W-38319

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason £212,500 was provided to Edinburgh Interfaith between 2017-18 and 2020-21 as part of the Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund; what this funding was used for, and what the outcomes were of the Bridges not Barriers project.

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund initially ran from 2017 to 2020, and was then extended to October 2021 due to the impacts of covid-19. It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund was used to fund projects that would contribute to one or more of four outcomes:

Discrimination against people who share protected characteristics is reduced and multiple discrimination is addressed so that barriers to participation are reduced.
People covered by hate crime legislation experience lower levels of hate crime.
People and communities are supported to participate in and engage with services and civic society; their contribution is recognised, and community cohesion is increased.
Current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life, including education and employment are addressed to better reflect our communities

The ‘Building Bridges not Barriers’ project was funded to support the strategic exchange of information and knowledge in order to better support those with protected characteristics. The project would specifically focus on providing access and connecting young people with accurate information on faith groups; developing more supportive connections between the elderly with dementia and/or living alone and their faith communities; and between faith communities, services and civic society.

The specific outcomes to be achieved were:

Religious prejudice among young people is reduced
Fewer barriers to participation of the elderly in their faith communities
Increased engagement and participation between people and communities with services and civic society

The Fund was managed on a day to day basis on the Scottish Government’s behalf by Impact Funding Partners initially and then Inspiring Scotland. You can find a Final Progress Update report for the Fund summarising its impacts here: Promoting-Equality-and-Cohesion-Fund-Final-Report-Jan-Sep-2021-for-SG-publication.pdf

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Question reference: S6W-38319

Answer