Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will issue new guidance to (a) the civil service and (b) public bodies to prevent practices which limit (i) recruitment and (ii) internships on the basis of protected characteristics.

Individual departments are responsible for recruitment decisions and they are required to meet all obligations of relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010. If a department wants to restrict an internship programme to a specific group or groups, it would be expected to ensure on a case by case basis that it complies with the relevant legislation. As a result, as was the case under the previous administration, no central guidance is provided on this matter.