Programme for Government doesn’t promise much for LGBTQIA+ people – but there’s plenty to work with

We were really disappointed the PfG didn’t included a firm commitment to a Scottish bill to end conversion practices. We will continue to make the case to the Scottish Government that they are best placed to pass comprehensive legislation to end conversion practices at Holyrood – find out why we think so here. 

The PfG did contain a commitment to “take forward action to address discrimination and inequality experienced by LGBTQI+ people through legislation, policy and partnership working”. This is welcome – although there’s nothing concrete about the Government’s plans. LGBTQIA+ people still face inequality and discrimination in a wide range of areas – not just those specifically related to our identities. So we will work hard to make sure that the needs of our communities are considered right across legislation and policy over the next parliamentary session, including in the areas below: 

Cost of Living measures

 Our communities are disproportionately impacted by insecure housing, low income, and health inequalities. This is why, in the LGBTQIA+ sector’s 2026-2031 manifesto, we called for a range of improvements to housing and cost-of-living measures. We will work to inform the Scottish Government’s commitments in these areas to ensure our communities benefit from them equally. 

Health

One of the key commitments in the PfG was to “ensuring nobody waits more than 26 weeks for the treatment they need” by the end of 2031. We know one of the most pressing issues facing our communities right now are wait times for trans health care. With Sandyford waiting times measured in decades, pressing the Scottish Government on turning this promise into a reality will be a priority.  

Our communities also face access and wait times issues for fertility services, especially assisted fertility, fertility preservation, and IVF. We will work to make sure our needs are considered as these services are improved, while holding the Scottish Government to account on wait times.  

We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to improving mental health, especially improving access through walk-in mental health hubs and 24/7 mental health support. In partnership with our colleagues across the LGBTQIA+ sector, we will stress how important it is that this support understands and can meet the needs of our communities. 

While we are disappointed to see that the Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill was not included in the PfG, we will work to ensure that our communities are able to benefit from the commitment to improving care and assessment processes for neurodevelopmental conditions, and continue to work in partnership with Disabled People’s Organisations to advocate for changes to policy and practice that improve disabled people’s lives. 

Equality, anti-discrimination, and community cohesion

LGBTQIA+ people do not live single-issues lives, and our communities are diverse with a range of intersecting identities and characteristics. We will also all benefit from a society where everyone is safe, equal, and included, and our human rights are respected. 

We’re pleased to see a commitment to introducing a Human Rights Bill in year two of this parliament. Human rights are for everybody, and are indivisible, interdependent, and universal. Proposals put forward by the Scottish Government in the previous term included commitments to a range of rights underpinned by human dignity, including the right to the highest attainable standard of health, an adequate standard living, and a healthy environment. We will work to ensure LGBTQIA+ people are able to realise these rights on an equal basis. 

We are also happy to see a shift towards dealing with hate crime at its roots, rather than after the harm has occurred. Anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes are on the rise, and we will work with the Scottish Government to ensure efforts to tackle it through programmes announced in the PfG and other initiatives aimed at education, community cohesion, and fighting disinformation, have a focus on the needs of our communities.  

We also welcome the commitment to providing safe spaces and help for minority ethnic communities and to continuing the work of the Anti-Racism in Education Programme. Refreshing the New Scots Delivery Plan to support people seeing asylum and refugees is also a positive step, especially as global anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment and legislation increases. 

Finally, we welcome the renewed focus on tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Scotland. We are pleased to see the return of the Misogyny (Criminal Law) (Scotland) Bill recognising misogyny as a distinct form of prejudice, alongside other commitments in this area including embedding VAWG into NHS frameworks and creating a Scottish Centre for Gender Equality. We will work to ensure that our communities’ needs are met, taking into account the particularly high levels of sexual violence and domestic abuse faced by bisexual women. 

While on the face of it, this PfG offers very little aimed specifically at LGBTQIA+ people in Scotland, there is plenty to work with. Equality Network and Scottish Trans will do all we can throughout this parliamentary term to make sure that the Scottish Government understands the needs of our communities, hears from us directly, and acts to improve the lives of everyone in Scotland. 

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