Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 94708 on Senior Civil Servants: Training, what the syllabus is for the training; and whether it includes equality, diversity and inclusion training.

The Senior Leaders Scheme (SLS) is a 12 month leadership programme aimed at SCS1 Deputy Directors which focuses on creating a diverse and robust pipeline through to the most senior roles in government. The curriculum consists of four core modules:

1. Development

2. Collaboration

3. Futures

4. Transformation

These modules are supported by executive coaching, action learning sets and elective masterclasses; ‘Futures Capability’ and ‘Practical Networking’

There is no specific module or training on equality, diversity and inclusion within SLS, although inclusive leadership is inherently part of the programme.

The Directors Leadership Programme is a 12 month leadership programme aimed at high performing SCS2 Directors which focuses on systems leadership, biases and power, public interest, building cultures of respect, as well as leading at scale.

This is done through a selection of residential modules, action learning sets, frontline experiences as well as workshops involving communicating including storytelling.

Although the topics look at inclusion in leadership, there is no specific EDI content or module.