Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

The core department complies with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.

The Government and Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity as a way of reflecting the experiences of the citizens we serve and delivering better outcomes for them in turn.