Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Matt Hancock and Rehman Chishti

Wednesday 1st July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Hancock]

Yes, I agree that this needs to be sorted out. When we brought the delivery of civil service pensions from an external provider in 2010, there was a larger backlog than anticipated. That means that there is an awful lot of work to do, but we are pushing it through.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

6. What steps he is taking to ensure that people from all social backgrounds are able to become senior civil servants.

[The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Matthew Hancock)]

Background should be no barrier to success and we are committed to ensuring that the most senior ranks of the civil service can be reached by all.

[Rehman Chishti]

Although 10% of the civil service are from a black and minority ethnic community, only 4% are in senior positions. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that each and every one of them can achieve their true potential without their background being a hindrance?

[Matthew Hancock]

My hon. Friend raises an important point. This is true not just about ethnicity in the senior civil service but about gender and people with disabilities. We need to ensure that the senior civil service represents the country that it serves. Steps are under way to ensure that that happens and I look forward to working with my hon. Friend to reach that conclusion.