Asked by: Baroness Barran (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in (1) the Department for Business and Trade, and (2) UK Export Finance, are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid. A maximum of two chairs from each of the 5 networks aligned to DBT’s evidence-led areas of focus are allocated up to 10% of their working hours as protected time for network activity. This applies to REACH (race); DisNET (disability); Gender Equality Network; Social Mobility Network; and LGBTQ+ Network. There are no plans to increase or reduce this.
UKEF does not hold the data requested. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.