Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of civil servants in his Department on temporary contracts are women as of 18 October 2023.

DWP Paid Staff Only September 2023 data.

There was a total of 345 Temporary contracts of those 48% were women.

The department is committed to increase the diversity of our workforce. Recruitment guidance encourages vacancy holders to advertise widely and all DWP’s vacancies are advertised on VERCIDA an inclusive jobs platform, that specifically promotes our diversity networks activities, inclusive culture and employer awards. These are also promoted our Civil Service Careers Website page.

DWP uses a name-blind approach at application and sift stage as standard including at SCS level where feasible. Guidance encourages the use gender-neutral language and online tools to check readability and inclusive language in job adverts and other recruitment materials. In SCS recruitment the department takes proactive steps to improve the diversity of candidates progressed to interview including readvertising on occasion to increase the diversity and gender balance of shortlists.

Our recruitment guidance is clear that restricted working patterns can only be advertised when supported by justifiable business objectives. For some roles we run engagement sessions where candidates can ask questions about working patterns and flexibility at the earliest stages. DWP is also a Career Confident Ambassador and has achieved level 3, the highest level of accreditation.

Roles are designed against the full range of Success Profiles. As such all elements are valued equally, and candidates can succeed in our recruitment and selection processes in the absence of formal qualifications.

DWP workforce diversity statistics are monitored and published internally each quarter. Annual Diversity statistics are monitored and published in the Department for Work and Pensions Annual report and Accounts.