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

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Question reference: S6W-42522

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the organisations that submitted applications to the Equality and Human Rights Fund in each of the last five years but were declined, broken down by (a) any information it can provide regarding the reason for refusal and (b) the assessment criteria or framework used in determining the decision.

The Fund has not been open to new applications following the original bidding process in 2021 which received 242 applications. The Equality and Human Rights Fund invests in a range of civil society organisations that deliver work focussed on tackling inequality and discrimination, furthering equality, and advancing the realisation of human rights in Scotland. Organisations were awarded funding based on assessment of their applications and how their proposed project would deliver against the intended outcomes i.e.

People have greater awareness and understanding of their human rights, and how to access them
People with protected characteristics have increased access to remedy where their rights have not been upheld
People with protected characteristics have increased participation in public life
People with protected characteristics have increased influence in decisions that affect them
The Scottish Government has better access to data and depth of information about the experiences of people with protected characteristics
Actors in civil society increasingly use Scotland’s domestic and international equality and human rights framework to influence and effect change
The experience of people with protected characteristics is increasingly used to inform the policy and practice of public bodies
Public services increasingly embed equality and human rights in their strategic planning and their day-to-day functions

Organisations whose applications were unsuccessful were advised to contact Inspiring Scotland, the Fund Manager, to receive individual feedback on their applications.

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Question reference: S6W-42522

Answer