Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's report entitled Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Equality Objectives 2012-2016, published in April 2012, what steps his Department has taken to raise awareness of diversity by developing a communications plan to celebrate key equality and culture events such as LGBT History Month and Black History Month.

Defra’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy sets out ambitious and comprehensive priorities to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the Department, including ‘supporting and empowering our networks and creating opportunities for people to share experience’. Our strategy is supported by an annual communications plan setting out our priorities over the next 12 months and highlighting opportunities to raise awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion.

We promote a range of nationally and internationally celebrated diversity calendar dates and events. For example, Black History Month and LGBT History Month 2017 were both celebrated using intranet stories and personal blogs and stories from Defra employees. Clare Moriarty, Defra Permanent Secretary, was part of a Cabinet Office panel to celebrate LGBT History Month and also attended the Defra Ethnic Minority Network Conference as a guest speaker where the Defra group ‘Project Race’ was launched.