§ 23. Paddy TippingTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress the Civil Service is making in appointing women to senior positions. [138849]
§ Mr. AlexanderThe Government are strongly committed to equality of opportunity. My Department has put in place a range of programmes to increase the representation of women in the Senior Civil Service.
Internally, we are coaching and mentoring women in grades just below the Senior Civil Service. Externally, we are working to raise women's awareness of recruitment and secondment opportunities.
§ 25. Mr. BorrowTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps are being taken to increase the proportion of ethnic minority staff in the Senior Civil Service. [138851]
§ Mr. AlexanderWe are making good progress against our target to have 3.2 per cent. ethnic minority staff in the Senior Civil Service by 2004–05. The current level is 2.8 per cent., compared with 1.6 per cent. in 1998.
To help achieve this, my Department is responsible for a number of development schemes as well as undertaking outreach work in order to attract talented ethnic minorities to the Civil Service.