Question reference: S6W-08854
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 9 June 2022
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Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 June 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the A96 Corridor Review questionnaire includes questions seeking respondents' personal information such as ethnicity, sex and religious affiliation, which are numbered 106 to 114 in the PDF version, and how these questions will inform (a) the identification of existing problems and opportunities across the A96 corridor and (b) other matters within the questionnaire’s remit.
Answer
The answers to the questions on ethnic background, gender, religion and sexual orientation (alongside answers to other questions) are used to understand if the response received to the survey is representative of the population of the study area and Scotland as a whole. In addition, this information will assist the A96 Corridor Review in working towards reducing or removing barriers to equality and enhancing opportunities for certain communities and protected groups.
The information obtained from the survey, alongside other forms of engagement undertaken, is being used to inform the analysis of problems and opportunities and the identification of potential transport interventions. This is being progressed using the methodology set out in Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). STAG [ https://www.transport.gov.scot/our-approach/industry-guidance/scottish-transport-analysis-guide-scot-tag ] is the Scottish Government’s formal option appraisal toolkit and is the methodology used to guide the development and assessment of transport projects in Scotland. It provides an evidence based and objective led framework for identifying transport problems in a study area and/or opportunities, allows objectives to be set to reflect the transport problems/opportunities and then options to be identified and appraised in a consistent manner with the potential to meet those objectives.
In terms of the assessment of options, STAG involves a multi-criteria appraisal approach. One specific workstream which will feed into this appraisal is a Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA). All responses to the survey will be used to inform the study, including the EQIA process.