§ Mr. DavidsonTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what monitoring of recruitment and promotion within the civil service is undertaken of the(a) social and (b) educational backgrounds of successful candidates; and if he will make a statement. [52232]
§ Mr. LeslieThe Civil Service aims to attract applicants from a diverse range of candidates. It does not monitor the social or educational backgrounds of successful candidates it recruits, nor for those recruited to the Senior Civil Service.
The Civil Service Fast Stream does, however, monitor applicants by university of first degree and this information is published annually in the Fast Stream Recruitment Report. The report is available in the library of both Houses and on the Internet at www.faststream.gov.uk. Fast Stream applicants are not monitored by social background.
§ Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the percentage increases in Civil Service pensions in(a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; and on what basis the increases are calculated. [55306]
§ Mr. LeslieCivil Service pensions, like other public service pensions, are increased each year after the Pensions Increase (Review) Order has been laid before Parliament by HM Treasury.
The pensions are increased by the same percentage as the increase in the additional component of the State Earnings Related Pension (SERPS) under section 59 of the Social Security Act 1975 (as amended).
This increase is calculated by reference to the all items increase in the Retail Prices Index (RPI) in the last 12 months to September of the previous year.
The increase is applied in April each year.
The increases for the last three financial years are as follows:
1.1 per cent
3.3 per cent
1.7 per cent