Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell has said that there can be no place for prejudice and discrimination in Scotland if we are to ensure future success as a welcoming, modern nation, following the publication of the 2006 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey report on discrimination, which found that 29 per cent of Scots say that sometimes there is a good reason to be prejudiced.
The report also finds that the majority of people, 65 per cent, say Scotland should do everything it can to get rid of all kinds of prejudice, and that incidences of discriminatory attitudes varies from one group to another. They are most commonly expressed towards Gypsies/Travellers and transsexual people and are less commonly expressed towards women and people with disabilities.
The report concludes that discriminatory attitudes towards Muslims have worsened since 2003. However, discriminatory attitudes towards gay men and lesbians appear to have declined in recent years.
John Curtice, Research Consultant to the Scottish Centre for Social Research and one of the co-authors of the report said: “This research provides a unique picture of how discriminatory attitudes are more likely to be expressed towards some groups than towards others, and more so in some circumstances than in others.”
Speaking at the launch, Maxwell said: “This report sends out two messages. Firstly, that most people say Scotland should do everything it can to get rid of all kinds of prejudice. Secondly, that a significant proportion of people think sometimes there is a good reason to be prejudiced.
“While most people want to see a fairer more equal society, it is worrying a sizable minority still hold discriminatory views. We must address this if we are to ensure Scotland's future success as a welcoming, modern, forward-thinking nation.
“Changing attitudes is one of the biggest challenges any society can face, but to be a successful nation we must tackle views that undermine good relations, and fuel suspicion and hostility between communities.
“We know attitude change takes time, but we will continue to provide leadership and strive towards a Scotland free from prejudice and discrimination.”
The Scottish Commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Morag Alexander, added: “Scots pride themselves on tolerance and fair play - it is something that should unite us. Our diverse range of communities and cultures make our country a rich and vibrant place to live, work, study or visit and we all benefit from this.
“The launch of the report today enables us to take a step back and reflect on where we want to be as a country. If we want to build a confident, ambitious and fair nation then I believe that each and every one of us has a responsibility to ensure that we create a Scotland that is at ease with all aspects of its diversity."
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