§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what criteria are used for the advertising of Government and public sector jobs; what steps he is taking to ensure the widest display of Government and public sector job advertisements in varied media publications; and if he will make a statement. [112673]
§ Mr. AlexanderIndividual Government Departments and agencies have responsibility for external recruitment, with the exception of the Fast Stream. The recruitment process for jobs in the Civil Service, including advertising, must be consistent with the principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code. Decisions about advertising have to take into account, subject to the details of the vacancy or vacancies, how best to ensure that information is widely available in the areas where the target candidate market is to be found.
We have set targets to improve the diversity of Government Departments at senior levels, and therefore recruitment advertising at every level includes trying to reach those who might not traditionally consider the civil service as a career. This includes the use of varied publications, and face to face contact.
The Cabinet Office works closely with other public sector employers, both at strategic and operational level, to promote the spread of best practice in recruitment.