Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how are automated decision-making systems used in relation to civil service employment, including recruitment, performance management, discipline, or allocation of work.

The Department for Business and Trade does not currently use automated decision-making systems to make binding decisions relating to civil service employment, including recruitment, performance management, disciplinary processes or the allocation of work. The UK’s data protection legislation does not lay down specific rules regarding particular employment systems. Where individuals are subject to significant decisions based solely on automated processing, the legislation provides safeguards including rights to information, challenge and human intervention.