· FOI · partially withheld
Changes to Dignity at Work policy in 2010: FOI release
Information requested
The exchange of correspondence between trade union and Scottish government officials relating to changes made to the government's Dignity at Work policy in 2010. This should include minutes of meetings of the Partnership Board conducted in 2009 and 2010.
Response
We have examined our records for the period covered by your request and have provided the information we hold that is considered to be within the scope of your request. No exemptions have been applied. This information is set out in the attached schedule. We have redacted the names of officials and trade union representatives and have supplied extracts pertaining to your request from the relevant Partnership Board meetings.
It may be helpful if I explain that the Fairness at Work policy is part of civil service employment policies and is not therefore routinely reviewed as a result of a change in government. The first iteration of the policy was introduced in 2003 and has been revised periodically since then to reflect changes in employment law and best practice. In particular, the policy was revised in 2005 to reflect changes to statutory dispute resolutions regulations and again in 2007 to incorporate new employment duties under the Equality Act. The policy was further reviewed in 2010 to reflect changes in best practice and to account for the fact that Scottish Ministers have delegated authority to exercise statutory functions as an employer with discretion to determine certain terms and conditions of employment.
A copy of the final version of the policy is attached at Annex A and forms document 16a as part of the bundle of documents you have requested.
Detected exemption language
No exemptions have been applied.