For the first time, 11 government departments (and the Scottish and Welsh Assembly Governments) published reports that showed how they were helping disabled people to achieve equality.
Source: Press release 1 December 2008, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release | Overview report | Links to reports
Date: 2008-Dec
An audit report said that all local councils in Scotland had developed policies and processes on race equality: but they needed to ensure these had a positive impact on services.
Source: The Impact of the Race Equality Duty on Council Services, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Audit Scotland press release | BBC report
Date: 2008-Nov
A report said that adults with learning disabilities in Scotland living with their families appeared to receive fewer choices and services than those in supported accommodation. Annual spending per head for people with learning disabilities living at home ranged from £7,000 to £30,000, according to responses from 11 Scottish councils.
Source: Lucy Johnston, Missed Out, Missing Out, Quarriers (01505 616138)
Links: Report | Quarriers press release | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Sep
The Scottish Government published a scheme setting out the the steps it would take to progress its gender equality objectives.
Source: Gender Equality Scheme 2008-2011, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Links: Scheme
Date: 2008-Jun
A report by a committee of MSPs examined the Scottish Government's implementation of a previous report on equality for disabled people.
Source: Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities: Review of Progress, 2nd Report 2008, SP Paper 130, Scottish Parliament Equal Opportunities Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release
Date: 2008-Jun
The Scottish Government introduced a Bill to reform the law on rape and sexual offences, based on proposals from the Scottish Law Commission. For the first time it defined 'consent' in law, and replaced the common-law offence of rape with a broader statutory offence (including male rape). It introduced new statutory offences dealing with sexual exposure, particularly in non-public places; the 'spiking' of drinks for sexual purposes; and coercive sexual conduct, including sexually offensive emails or texts.
Source: Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SG press release | BBC report
Date: 2008-Jun
The Scottish Government published a plan designed to tackle domestic abuse. It set out 13 priorities for action over the following three years focused on four main themes of protection, provision, prevention, and participation.
Source: National Domestic Abuse Delivery Plan for Children and Young People, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Links: Plan | SG press release | BBC report
Date: 2008-Jun
A report described a qualitative research project in Glasgow which examined the effects of poverty on women's lives.
Source: Rachel Jury and Lauren Bianchi (eds.), Heat Or Eat? Women's experience of poverty in Scotland today, Poverty Alliance (0141 353 0440)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Mar
A working group recommended ways of tackling negative and discriminatory attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in Scotland.
Source: LGBT Hearts and Minds Agenda Group, Challenging Prejudice: Changing attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Scotland, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Feb
The Scottish Government announced that it would support proposals put forward by an MSP to extend the law on hate crime to include disabled people and those from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered communities.
Source: Press release 15 January 2008, Scottish Government (0131 556 8400)
Links: SG press release | EHRC press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Jan
An annual survey of social attitudes found that only 13 per cent of people born and living in England, and 3 per cent of people born and living in Scotland, described themselves as 'only' or 'mainly' British. Nearly half of those born and living in England said that they were 'equally English and British', and only 1 in 5 born and living in Scotland described themselves as 'equally Scottish and British'.
Source: Frank Bechhofer and David McCrone, 'Talking the talk: national identity in England and Scotland' in Alison Park, John Curtice, Katarina Thomson, Miranda Phillips and Mark Johnson (eds.), British Social Attitudes: The 24th Report, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Summary | NatCen press release | Telegraph report | BBC report | FT report
Date: 2008-Jan
