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)

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Question reference: S6W-38365

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 £361,250 was provided to Workers Education Association (WEA) 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 WEA Women in the Highlands 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 It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.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 Women in the Highlands project was funded to support the Workers Education Association (WEA) to lay the foundations for five self-governing and sustainable groups for women in the Highlands. Through the founding of these groups, women would be encouraged and empowered to participate in and engage with services and civic society. Links to the Women’s Equality Steering group via a Highland satellite cluster would lead to increased community cohesion and recognition.

The specific outcomes to be achieved were:

Women in the Highlands will be encouraged and empowered to participate in and engage with services and civic society.
Women expressing an interest in becoming leaders will be supported and have increased access to development opportunities.
Five self-governing and sustainable women’s groups will be established in the Highlands.

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-38365

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