Diversity in the Senior Civil Service continues to increase according to new figures released today.
Representation of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds, women and disabled people has increased. Staffing figures for April 2004 indicate that:
- 24.4 per cent of those in the very top management posts are women (up from 12.7 per cent in April 1998)
- 27.8 per cent of the senior roles are occupied by women (up from 17.8 per cent)
- 3 per cent of staff at senior levels are from minority ethnic backgrounds (up from 1.6 per cent)
- 2.3 per cent of staff at senior grades are disabled (up from 1.5 per cent).
Ruth Kelly, cabinet office minister said: “I am pleased that the Civil Service continues to make progress in addressing the under-representation of women and minority ethnic staff at senior levels and hope that we can build on the increase in disabled staff.”
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As part of its 2004 spending review, the Government has set new targets for representation in the Senior Civil Service. To help achieve this, a new senior adviser on diversity and equality, Waqar Azmi, was appointed earlier this month.
Fiona McTaggert, the minister for race equality, told Personnel Today this week that the key to improving diversity was creating an environment where all voices from the organisation can be heard.
