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Embedding fairness and equality in Scotland’s national budget

  • Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 13th August 2021

The ALLIANCE has responded to the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee's inquiry about the 2022-23 national budget and COVID-19 recovery.

The ALLIANCE believes that a fair and equal recovery from the COVID-19 crisis could be achieved by giving greater weight to progressive economic systems like human rights and gender budgeting, and the wellbeing and caring economy.

During a panel discussion we organised in June 2021, expert speakers spoke about these different economic systems and demonstrated how they complement each other, share core values like equality and justice, and put people at the centre of the economy.

You can watch a recording of this session on the ALLIANCE’s YouTube channel (this link will take you away from our website).

In our submission to the Finance and Public Administration Committee’s inquiry about how Scotland’s public finances in 2022-23 have been affected by COVID-19, the ALLIANCE demonstrates how:

  • A human rights based approach (HRBA) to budgeting would embed equality, transparency and people’s participation in Scotland’s financial decision making.
  • Carrying out robust and timely Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessments (EQHRIAs) on the national budget would help identify and target the disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on different groups in Scottish society.
  • HRBA and EQHRIAs offer a framework and tools to balance competing priorities, rights, interests, and risks and support difficult financial decision making to ensure judgments about value for money and efficient use of resources are made on a fair, equal, and transparent basis, without discrimination.

The ALLIANCE’s response to the Committee’s inquiry also highlights the essential role played by Scotland’s third sector organisations, both before the pandemic and throughout COVID-19. The third sector’s vital work is needed now more than ever; and we believe the national budget should reflect this.

You can read the full response at the link below.

Resources:

ALLIANCE Consultation Response: Finance and Public Administration Committee 2022-23 pre-budget scrutiny
Download Word Document (77 KB)

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