Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many equality impact assessments have been carried out in the last three years on public service reforms which impact on (a) departmental staff and (b) members of the public; and if he will make a statement.

Over the last three years the Scotland Office has had and continues to have due regard, as necessary, to the public sector equality duty in exercising its functions. The Equality Act does not require this due regard to take the form of an equality impact assessment, nor does it define an equality impact assessment, and the Scotland Office does not maintain a record of such assessments.