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Thank you. Does anyone else want to comment before I hand back to the convener?

Thank you. Does anyone else online want to comment on the subject, or have those two covered it?

How have the updates on the public sector equality duty been communicated to your councils? I put that question to Andrew Groundwater.

Good morning. I asked a similar question to the last panel, so if you were here, you will know what I am going to ask.

Reform of the public sector equality duty started back in 2018 and, as you know, the process was interrupted by Covid. Did the delay affect your organisation’s ability to fulfil the PSED? The previous witnesses said that that was not their experience; I would like to hear from you.

It is good to hear that.

Yes.

That is helpful for the committee. I hand back to you, convener.

It is not—

I would like to ask how you are supporting the development of greater intersectional equalities competence across portfolios and public bodies. You touched on it slightly earlier, but is there anything that you would like to expand on?

I note that the Scottish Women’s Budget Group highlighted four examples of policy areas where information on equalities consideration is lacking: the Scottish welfare fund, maternal health funds, carer support plans and housing and homelessness. Minister, you touched on housing, but could you give a bit of background as to why the information is lacking? Perhaps your officials will pop in as well.

It is about breaking the stigma, as has been said, and Richard Gass mentioned the barriers. People could not even buy bread and milk for £3.15. Should we just change the income thresholds and let people claim?