Oral Answers to Questions

Sally-Ann Hart Excerpts

Thursday 25th November 2021 Commons Chamber

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office was asked—

[Sally-Ann Hart (Hastings and Rye) (Con)]

1. What progress the Government have made in delivering civil service jobs outside London.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

7. What progress he is making on relocating civil service jobs from London.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Steve Barclay)]

The Government are committed to relocating 22,000 civil servants out of Greater London by 2030, with up to 15,000 by 2025. We are working with Departments and public bodies to ensure that roles are relocated at pace, and the spending review will enable Departments to now finalise those plans.

[Sally-Ann Hart]

According to the “Preparing for the Civil Service Verbal and Numerical tests” section of the Government website, these tests are

“fair and free from bias and discrimination”,

but they are based on algorithms to ensure that a

“person meets the requirements of a particular job level”.

What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that the civil service employs individuals from a broad spectrum of political beliefs?

[Steve Barclay]

The tests to which my hon. Friend refers do not assess political beliefs; they are focused on reasoning ability in relation to verbal and numerical skills. However, the point she raises is addressed through the Places for Growth programme, which, by recruiting civil servants in larger numbers from across the whole of the United Kingdom, will facilitate far greater diversity through our recruitment.

--- Later in debate ---

[Leo Docherty]

I share the hon. Member’s sense of urgency and I recognise the importance of this issue. I can tell him that we have commissioned new work to look afresh at how we can urgently deliver this important measure.

[Sally-Ann Hart (Hastings and Rye) (Con)]

The Prime Minister has backed a stronger code of conduct for MPs to ensure that an MP’s primary job is, and must be, to serve their constituents, and to represent their interests in Parliament rather than those of private businesses—or trade unions, for that matter. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the changes to the code of conduct suggested by the Prime Minister will create up-to-date, effective and rigorous rules?

[Steve Barclay]

I do agree with my hon. Friend. It is an MP’s primary job to serve their constituents and to represent their interests in Parliament, and indeed, the vast majority of MPs work tirelessly for their constituents. As you have said, Mr Speaker, it is for the House to decide whether MPs should hold second jobs, and that matter will be debated further in the Chamber.