HC Deb 05 March 2002 vol 381 cc255-7W
Dr. Kumar

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister further to his answer of 7 February 2002,Official Report, column 1130W, on civil service entrants, what is being done to publicise the fast stream development programme to students at institutions of higher education other than Oxford and Cambridge. [38313]

Mr. Leslie

Action taken to publicise the fast stream development programme to students at universities other than Oxford and Cambridge has included the following:

  1. (i) the Cabinet Office Outreach Officer has given careers presentations to promote and raise awareness of the fast stream to ethnic, cultural and religious societies at the following universities: York, Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Birmingham, Leeds Metropolitan, University of Central England and Aston;
  2. (ii) serving fast streamers gave career presentations at 44 other universities throughout the UK in 2001;
  3. (iii) of 60 undergraduates participating in the 2001 summer development programme, which provides a six-eight week work placement, and training at the civil service college, 55 came from 27 other universities other than Oxford and Cambridge;
  4. (iv) 26 of the undergraduates who participated in the 2001–02 winter training course at the civil service college came from universities other than Oxford and Cambridge;
  5. (v) a group of 24 disabled undergraduates, none of them from Oxford and Cambridge universities, participated in "Dunchester's Millions", a civil service policy game organised with Workable in November 2001. In the last 12 months this training and awareness activity has also been facilitated at three other universities;
  6. (vi) 23 disabled undergraduates from other universities accepted work placements in the civil service over the summer vacation 2001. A similar programme in conjunction with the charity Workable will run again this summer.
  7. (vii) career advisers from 38 other universities are scheduled to attend the civil service selection board as observers of the fast stream recruitment process between February and May this year as part of our strategy for raising awareness.

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister at which graduate fairs the fast stream development programme was publicised last year. [38314]

Mr. Leslie

The fast stream development programme was publicised last year at the following graduate recruitment careers fairs:

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what is being done to make the senior civil service more representative of the population; and how this is publicised across Government. [38316]

Mr. Leslie

Thelatest figures for October 2001 released on 21 February show that the civil service is making progress on tackling under-representation at senior levels25.3 per cent. of the senior civil service are women, up from 17.8 per cent. in 1998. The target for 2004–05 is 35 per cent. 21.2 per cent. of those in the top 600 posts are women, up from 12.7 per cent. in 1998. The target for 2004–05 is 25 per cent. 12.3 per cent. of staff at senior civil service level are from a minority ethnic background, up from 1.6 per cent. in 1998. The target for 2004–05 is 3.2 per cent. 1 1.8 per cent. of staff at senior civil service level have a disability, up from 1.5 per cent. in 1998. The target for 2004–05 is 3 per cent. 1 These figures exclude data on ethnicity and disability in MOD.

Individual Departments and agencies have specific initiatives in place to tackle under-representation at senior levels. These are supported by a number of central initiatives, all of which are publicised widely across Government.

In June 2001, the Cabinet Office launched the Elevator Partnerships, as a pilot informal mentoring scheme for women. The aim of the scheme is partnership between 50 senior women and 50 junior women who appear to be static in career terms, with the aim of encouraging career confidence.

All Departments were given the opportunity to participate in the pilot. An evaluation of the pilot in the summer will be used to encourage Departments to set up similar schemes.

The Cabinet Office has launched "Pathways", a central development programme targeted at minority ethnic staff with the potential to rise to senior levels. There is an annual trawl across all Departments for participants and there is a page dedicated to the scheme on the civil service website.

There is also an annual bursary scheme for disabled civil servants who have the potential to reach a senior management position (at least Grade 7) in the civil service. The scheme provides access and funding for training opportunities and personal development. Applications are invited annually through advertisements in Government publications.