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60874

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what targets the Law Officers' Departments have for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199919
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 16th June (Official Report, Col 434W).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Hertfordshire answering member printed Oliver Heald question first answered 17/06/2014 12:55:15 answering member 69 label Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60875

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what consideration the Law Officers' Departments' give to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199940
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 16th June (Official Report, Col 434W).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Hertfordshire answering member printed Oliver Heald question first answered 17/06/2014 12:53:07 answering member 69 label Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60893

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199937
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2014 answer text <p><strong>In common with other government departments the Treasury has diversity targets for its workforce (gender, ethnicity and disability), monitors progress and implements diversity initiatives where appropriate. </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>HM Treasury diversity targets for its Senior Civil Service (SCS) </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Group</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Target</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Women</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>42 %</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>BME</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>5% </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Disability</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>5% </strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>HM Treasury's diversity targets for its employees below the SCS</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Group</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Target</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Women Range E</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>50% </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Women Range D</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>50% </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>BME Range E</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>14%</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>BME Range D</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>18%</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Disability Range E</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>6%</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Disability Range D</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8%</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>On progress against the targets the Treasury publishes information on the proportion of its employees by gender, ethnicity and disability by each Civil Service pay scale. The most recent information, March 2013, is in HM Treasury's <em>Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13</em>, page 43, available on the Treasury's external website. </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>The March 2014 data will be published in the <em>Annual Report and Accounts</em> 2014 in due course</strong></p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 17/06/2014 15:05:03 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60896

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199942
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>This Government procures on the basis of value for money. Departments and the Crown Commercial Service will ensure that social, economic and sustainability issues are considered in procurement projects and that specifications, terms and conditions and evaluation criteria are developed to ensure that the relevant issues are addressed as appropriate for the subject matter of the requirements.</p><p> </p><p>As outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement of 6 September 2013, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 33WS, on the Government response to the public sector equality duty review, there is clear evidence of equality and diversity policies going too far in the other direction, by imposing unreasonable and expensive burdens on organisations bidding for public sector contracts. The Government has committed to reducing procurement gold-plating by the public sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 17/06/2014 15:54:44 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60918

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199926
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2014 answer text <p>The Department currently works towards meeting the diversity representation targets set by the Cabinet Office for Senior Civil Servants. Our current rates against those targets are:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Females in SCS – 34% (Target 39%)</li><li>Females at PB2 or above – 21% (Target 34%)</li><li>Disability – 3% (Target 5%)</li><li>Ethnicity – 1% (Target 5%)</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Gregory Barker question first answered 16/06/2014 11:57:52 answering member 1389 label Biography information for Lord Barker of Battle
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60919

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2014 answer text <p>The Department of Energy and Climate Change considers diversity during the procurement or grant allocation process by including diversity within evaluation criteria when appropriate. Diversity is included when it is particularly relevant to the business requirements and circumstances of an individual procurement or grant. In addition the Department's standard terms and conditions of contract include specific clauses that cover equality and non-discrimination. The Department also promotes non-discrimination through open procurement procedures and we have removed barriers to supplier entry as part of our efforts to improve engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises. Our Contractors are required to abide by the DECC Equality Scheme, details of which can be found through the link below.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/47894/359-decc-equality-diversity-strategy-condoc.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/47894/359-decc-equality-diversity-strategy-condoc.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Gregory Barker question first answered 16/06/2014 11:57:01 answering member 1389 label Biography information for Lord Barker of Battle
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60922

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Core Defra follows Cabinet Office advice in meeting its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which is part of the Equality Act 2010, when considering bids for commercial contracts or grants.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of our evaluation criteria we ask each bidder to provide evidence of their equality and diversity policy or an equivalent document which demonstrates their organisation's commitment to equality and diversity and which is compliant with the relevant legislation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We ask each bidder to describe the steps they have taken to:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· monitor equality and diversity performance;</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· implement training programmes for raising awareness;</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· ensure staff and sub-contractors working on the contract comply appropriately with the relevant legislation;</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· address cases of discrimination and other breaches and set out measures for preventing recurrences; and</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· give the Department full confidence in their organisation's approach to equality and diversity.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A score is allocated to the bidder's response to these questions which forms part of the overall technical evaluation of the bid.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 16/06/2014 14:53:32 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60932

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199930
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2014 answer text <p>The Department has exceeded the target set by the Cabinet Office for women in the Senior Civil Service (SCS), met the target for black and minority ethnic (BME) staff in the SCS, and is 1% below the target for disabled staff in the SCS.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>SCS Group</p></td><td><p>Cabinet Office</p><p>Target %</p></td><td><p>Department</p><p>Acheivement %</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Women</p></td><td><p>37</p></td><td><p>41</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BME</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Disabled</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 17/06/2014 13:49:37 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60935

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199951
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2014 answer text <p>The Department as part of its commercial contracts already includes discrimination and human rights provisions in its standard terms and conditions of contract and by submitting a tender or quotation to the Department, a supplier agrees to these terms.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is currently enhancing its approach to addressing equality issues in the procurement process.</p><p> </p><p>All organisations applying to the Department's competed grant schemes are asked to confirm that they have an Equal Opportunities Policy Statement in place. Only applicants with a policy in place or in the process of being produced would meet the eligibility criteria for grant funding.</p><p> </p><p>The standard terms and conditions for grant awards contain a clause covering equality. All organisations that are awarded grants confirm that they agree to the terms and conditions prior to the release of the grant payment.</p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 17/06/2014 13:49:27 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

60943

registered interest
date	10/06/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Equal Opportunities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what targets her Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	199932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2014 answer text <p>DFID has aligned with the Civil Service-wide diversity targets for levels of representation in the Senior Civil Service (SCS). These targets are:</p><p>· 39% of the SCS to be women – DFID has achieved this target as 39% of our SCS are women.</p><p>· 34% of top management posts (Director and above) to be held by women DFID has exceeded this target as 42% of such posts are held by women.</p><p>· 5% of the Senior Civil Service to be minority ethnic staff - DFID has exceeded this target as 7% of our SCS are minority ethnic.</p><p>· 5% of the Senior Civil Service to be disabled people - DFID has exceeded this target as 6% of our SCS identify as having a disability.</p><p>In addition to this DFID has made a commitment to improve staff engagement survey scores for people with disabilities as this is recognised as an issue across government. DFID has improved the overall staff engagement survey score for staff with disabilities from 65% in November 2012 to 71% in November 2013.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Mr Alan Duncan question first answered 17/06/2014 15:04:23 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson