Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Johnston and Elizabeth Truss

Wednesday 10th February 2021 Commons Chamber

[David Johnston (Wantage) (Con)]

What steps the Government is taking to increase social mobility.

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss)]

Our focus is on levelling up and ensuring that no one is left behind. During the pandemic, we are ensuring that all children get the chance to succeed through a further £300 million to schools for tutoring, new summer school initiatives and the covid premium.

[David Johnston]

Last month, it was reported that the civil service fast stream is no longer publishing data on the social backgrounds of the people it hires, which came with information obtained by a freedom of information request showing that the success of those from private schools entering the fast stream is double that of those from comprehensive schools. Can I therefore ask my right hon. Friend to push the civil service fast stream to publish that data regularly, so that it leads by example and demonstrates its commitment to social mobility?

[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend is correct to say that the civil service should be recruiting the best people, regardless of their background, and that it should be open to all. We will be publishing the data that he asks for by April of this year, and the Government will have more to say shortly on widening opportunity in the civil service.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Johnston and Elizabeth Truss

Wednesday 6th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. It is still the case that women make up only 25% of those employed in manufacturing and 30% of those in information technology. We need more women in those fields to use their amazing talents. We are committed to removing the barriers to success for women and to celebrating those who have achieved, such as Ruth Amos of StairSteady, who has invented new areas of engineering, which we should continue to celebrate.

[David Johnston (Wantage) (Con)]

What steps the Government are taking to help ensure equality of opportunity for people throughout the UK.

[Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne) (Con)]

What steps the Government are taking to help ensure equality of opportunity for people throughout the UK.

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss)]

As we turn the tide on covid-19, I want to ensure that the Cabinet Office equalities hub focuses on the evidence, and that everyone in the UK has their opportunity and does not face discrimination or barriers to success.

[David Johnston [V]]

I thank my right hon. Friend for that statement. Does she agree that, although they are not in the Equality Act 2010, we should have a firm focus on social background and social mobility, so that it is not the school someone went to, the family they come from or the area they grew up in that determines their life chances?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. We are restructuring the equalities hub so that it covers areas such as social background and geography. It will put world-class analysis and research at its heart, and I am proud that both the Department for International Trade and the equalities hub were named among the top 75 employers by the social mobility employer index, which I know my hon. Friend established.