Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.

• As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

• Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition.

• DWP offers several schemes to support disadvantaged groups to gain valuable work experience and employment opportunities.

• Most schemes offer fixed-term employment under Exception 2 of the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. Some also allow for conversion to permanency after 12 months under Exception 10 of the Civil Service Recruitment Principles.