Civil service EDI jobs, spending and networks to be culled

Esther McVey declared that individual job positions for EDI in civil service will no longer exist. In addition, any expenses that are allocated towards promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion will need to receive approval from the government.

The individual in charge of promoting practicality expressed concerns over how funds are being utilized for trendy issues, or initiatives he deems "virtual hobbies." The minister desires to ensure that endeavors focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) actually help society and do not turn into "unproductive projects solely created to appeal to political correctness."

Furthermore, she mentioned that the government will also focus on staff associations, the usage of lanyards that feature themes supporting diversity within the public sector, and job adverts with superfluous statements.

Today, McVey made a speech at the Centre for Policy Studies revealing her plans. She stated that there will be no further contracts given for external diversity spending once the instruction is in effect, unless a government minister has given their approval.

This encompasses all organizations with existing agreements, such as Stonewall. The aim is to prevent unintentional growth of internal EDI (equality, diversity, and inclusion) undertakings. The heads of state departments and permanent secretaries will ensure that this is managed effectively within their respective departments.

Fresh guidelines on impartiality are set to be released in order to guarantee that the civil service concentrates on providing for the community. This move comes in the wake of the analysis of equality, diversity, and inclusion expenditures across several departments of the government, which was disclosed by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt back in October 2023.

The review, which has not yet been released, examined how many people are working on EDI initiatives and requested that departments explain how their efforts align with the government's objectives.

McVey wrote in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph that there would be no additional funds allocated towards campaign groups or untested schemes conducted by outside "specialists".

She expressed that in the times to come, our approach will involve taking responsibility and being open about our actions, with the aim of ensuring equal opportunities for everyone, rather than being influenced by political beliefs. Moreover, she stated that there won't be any exclusive EDI roles within the civil service beyond HR and no personnel who solely dedicate their working hours to EDI duties.

All positions related to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the civil service will now be merged into the HR departments of their respective departments. Ministers and permanent secretaries will oversee the HR teams to ensure that they follow the legal requirements pertaining to EDI, which are proven to be beneficial. Any aspect of diversity work that is not based on legal obligations will not be prioritized.

The minister without portfolio spoke this morning and stated that they will be focusing on staff networks. Although many may have started with positive intentions, some have become heavily involved in political and religious activism which is not appropriate in the civil service. As a result, these networks will be terminated.

She mentioned how a Muslim network in the civil service got suspended lately due to antisemitism concerns that were brought up by people within the network and also by the media. She further explained that those people involved in this issue are currently being looked into for disciplinary actions.

According to her, civil servants should focus solely on their primary responsibilities without getting distracted by irrelevant topics. She added that networks intended to promote diversity often end up creating discord and causing distress within the workplace.

We aim for our workplace to be a happy and welcoming environment that does not allow for division or undue pressure. Additionally, I propose a straightforward yet noticeable alteration be made. The lanyards used to carry security badges cannot be randomly selected but instead should have a unified design to showcase that we are all equal members of the government working towards bettering the lives of UK citizens.

When you work for the government, it's important to separate your personal political beliefs from your professional duties. Sneaking in your views through your badges or necklaces is not acceptable.

The Cabinet Office minister criticized the use of diversity statements in job advertisements. They argued that such statements, which come after the crucial job details like pay and responsibilities, tend to include bulky and irrelevant text that distracts potential applicants from submitting their application. In order to make job postings more appealing and streamline the application process, the minister intends to eliminate such unnecessary text.

Regarding councils and council leaders who believe that you can work four days but get paid for five, we in South Cambridgeshire, which is run by the Liberal Democrats, do not approve of this practice. We have made it clear through our guidance and interaction that these working arrangements do not benefit taxpayers and that such practices must come to an end without delay.

Today marks the start of an assertive campaign to bring common sense back into play. The values and anxieties of regular individuals will now be firmly incorporated into the decision-making process of those in power.

The essence of working in the civil service centers on abstaining from bringing in political perspectives to the workplace. Any attempt to bring them in using lanyards or other subtle means is not acceptable, as stated by Esther McVey.

According to her estimation, approximately 400 full-time employees dedicate their time to EDI in the civil service. She added that individuals whose only responsibility pertains to EDI will be transferred to the HR department to concentrate on fulfilling statutory obligations.

Lucille Thirlby, who is the assistant general secretary of the FDA union, has stated that the government has been using EDI as an easy target and cautioned against eliminating essential diversity positions that exist within public services.

She conveyed to the i newspaper that having equivalent results is crucial, and businesses and public service providers require expert understanding. If not, the government may end up utilizing more funds to safeguard discrimination allegations in employment tribunals or judicial evaluations due to inadequate public service offerings.

During her campaign for the position of prime minister in 2022, Liz Truss made a promise to eliminate roughly 350 Whitehall EDI positions. She explained that these positions take away from the focus on meeting the needs of the British population.

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Rob Moss has been a business journalist for over 25 years and is currently the editor of Personnel Today, which he has been doing since 2010. He started out as an online editor for the award-winning website in 2006. His expertise lies in labour market economics, gender diversity, and family-friendly work environments. Over the years, he has hosted numerous webinars and podcasts. Before writing about human resources and employment matters, he held leadership roles in news and feature desks for various publications, including those for the global optical and eyewear trade, the electrical industry in the UK, and energy markets within Asia and the Middle East.