To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the Fair Work Action Plan.

Current status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 February 2019

I am pleased to announce that our Fair Work Action Plan is being published today.

The Action Plan sets out the strategic approach the Scottish Government will take to help employers embed and mainstream fairer working practices within their workplaces – making fair work the norm right across Scotland. It has been developed in consultation with the STUC, the Fair Work Convention, employers and other stakeholders, and allows us to consider how fair work can support and be supported across all government strategies and maximise our leverage to promote good jobs and support business growth.

Fair Work is central to our economic strategy: it is good for workers, good for business and good for Scotland. Fair Work is an iterative process and the new actions and approaches we are proposing will develop over time. The Action Plan will, therefore, be refreshed to reflect the progress being made. Our focus will be on: supporting employers to adopt Fair Work practices; delivering Fair Work to a diverse and inclusive workforce; and, embedding Fair Work across the Scottish Government. Actions include:

• working with employers and partners to deliver Fair Work First;
• delivering the refresh of the Scottish Business Pledge to ensure closer alignment with the Fair Work Framework and establishing a business-led leadership group forward to take forward implementation and promotion;
• co-hosting an International Fair Work Summit with the Fair Work Convention;
• extending the Workplace Equality Fund;
• supporting trade unions to embed Fair Work in workplaces;
• increasing the number of people employed who are paid the real Living Wage;
• engaging with the UK Government to enhance worker's rights; and,
• as an employer, the Scottish Government demonstrating our leadership by adopting Fair Work practices.

The Fair Work Action Plan can be viewed via the Economic Action Plan website at https://economicactionplan.mygov.scot/fair-work .