Latest news with #CabinetOffice
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Civil Service spends £27m on diversity in a year
Whitehall spent £27 million on diversity in a single year, the first ever audit of bureaucracy 'wokery' has revealed. An internal report from the Cabinet Office, commissioned by the last Conservative government, reveals there are 380 'equality, diversity and inclusion' (EDI) staff in the Civil Service. They are paid £53,000 a year on average and their salaries cost taxpayers £20 million overall. EDI staff in departments have been criticised for promoting contested theories such as that there is a spectrum of genders and that people can be guilty of microaggressions towards other people based on their race, gender or sexuality. Gender-critical feminists have also claimed it can make them reluctant to speak openly about their views but proponents claim they ensure minority communities are treated fairly. The cost of activities, including learning and development sessions, added up to £4.9 million in departments and £700,000 cross-government. Another £800,000 was spent on 'external benchmarking' and membership of EDI organisations such as the controversial LGBT charity Stonewall. And £700,000 went towards diversity and inclusion staff networks. This comes to a total of £27.1 million in just one year. This amount would pay for the winter fuel payments of 135,000 pensioners, or would fund the employment of more than 1,000 nurses. The report found that the equivalent of 350 people within departments worked full time in EDI roles, along with 30 in cross-governmental functions. It also said there are 570 'diversity staff networks' in government departments. These networks, with 2,965 committee members, represent different minority groups, and some Civil Service members spend half their weeks running them. The report came as it emerged the Government is planning to get rid of around 50,000 Civil Service posts – one in 10 – to get the size of Whitehall down to pre-Brexit levels. Last night, one Right-leaning think tank called on Labour to go further and sack a half of human resources staff and two in three communications roles to help save £5 billion a year. Meanwhile, Reform UK has made slashing diversity and inclusion roles a key part of its policy platform. The document, Civil Service EDI Expenditure Review Data, appeared on the Cabinet Office website on Thursday afternoon. A total of 19 ministerial departments and 45 arm's-length bodies responded to the government review. The research also looked at how much was spent on EDI in the big five departments – Department for Work and Pensions, Home Office, HM Revenue and Customs, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice. In 2023-24, the total spent in these five departments was £12.8 million. A government spokesman said the £27 million equated to 0.006 per cent of Civil Service spend. 'This spending took place under the previous government,' she said. 'We are absolutely focused on ensuring every pound spent of taxpayer money delivers for the public – ending hospital backlogs, putting police back on the beat and securing our borders.' Meanwhile, the Policy Exchange think tank called on the Government to go further and reduce the Civil Service by 80,000. Within this, the report proposes halving the size of the senior Civil Service, the policy profession and the HR profession and a 70 per cent reduction in communications staff. Commenting on the report, a former Treasury second permanent secretary said: 'Whether you believe in a big or a small state, we should all want one that is efficient and effective. 'An over-resourced administrative machine inevitably generates ever more process for itself and slows itself down.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Nigel Farage savaged with brutal comment over his maths skills
Nigel Farage's maths skills were questioned after newly release figures on diversity, equality and inclusion programmes suggest the Reform UK leader's costings don't add up Nigel Farage has been savaged over his maths skills after newly release figures suggest the Reform UK leader's costings don't add up. The outspoken politician earlier this week announced a raft of eye-catching policies, which he said in part would be paid for by scrapping diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies in the public sector. Reform UK said scrapping 'the DEI agenda' would save taxpayers £7billion. But the Cabinet Office last night published the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion review, commissioned by the previous Tory government, which told a different story. It found that EDI spending across the Civil Service was just £27.1million in 2022/23. A Cabinet Office source said: 'Maths is clearly not his strong suit. It's terrifying to think what he'd do to the family finances of working people if he ever got near power.' Reform UK said it had sent thousands of freedom of information requests and insisted billions in savings could be made. It said the £7bn figure was not just from government departments or the civil service, but across public bodies including universities, school boards, emergency services and the Armed Forces. It comes after Keir Starmer yesterday launched a ferocious attack on Mr Farage - branding him " Liz Truss 2.0". The Prime Minister turned his fire on the Reform UK leader in a speech in the north west, accusing him of planning a 'mad experiment' that will hammer family finances. He compared Reform's uncosted pledges to Tory disaster Liz Truss, who triggered market chaos and sent mortgage rates rocketing with her tax-slashing mini-Budget. The PM was reacting to a major speech by Mr Farage on Tuesday where he announced a series of headline-grabbing plans. Among them, the right-wing politician tried to outflank Labour by committing to fully reinstating the winter fuel payments and reversing the two-child benefit limit. It comes after the PM announced at least a partial U-turn on winter fuel cuts, while ditching the Tory-era two-child benefit policy is 'on the table' for the Government. The Reform leader also said his 'biggest aspiration' was for Brits to avoid paying tax on any earnings up to £20,000 (a plan that could cost up to £80billion). Labour analysis suggests the policy could lead to increased mortgage payments of £5,500 for the average family because it could require billions of pounds of additional borrowing every year. Mr Farage said he'd pay for announcements by scrapping plans to reach net zero carbon emissions, closing asylum hotels and ditching diversity programmes - but he gave little detail on how any of this would work. A furious Mr Starmer said the Reform UK leader is doing a 'Liz Truss 2.0' and wants to 'blow up the economy'. 'We're once again fighting the same fantasy, this time from Farage,' he said. 'The same bet in the same casino: That you could spend tens of billions of pounds on tax cuts without a proper way of paying for them. Using your monthly finances, your mortgage, your bills as the gambling chip on this mad experiment.' A Reform UK spokesman said: 'Under a Reform government DEI spending in the civil service and across public sector bodies will drop to zero. DEI agendas are divisive and inconsistent with British values. We believe in a meritocracy where privileges are given out based on merit rather than skin colour or gender.'
Fibre2Fashion
3 days ago
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
Japan's consumer sentiment hits 32.8 in May; Inflation fears persist
Japan's Consumer Confidence Index climbed to 32.8 in May 2025, up 1.6 points from April, according to the latest government survey by the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. Japan's Consumer Confidence Index rose to 32.8 in May 2025, up 1.6 points from April, with all sub-indices showing gains. Livelihood, income growth, employment, and willingness to buy durable goods all improved. Inflation expectations remain high, with 93.6 per cent expecting prices to rise. The survey covered 8,400 households with a 72.4 per cent response rate. The survey, conducted across 8,400 households, showed improvements across all categories. The index for overall livelihood increased by 2.9 points to 30.2, the income growth index edged up by 0.8 points to 38.3 and confidence in employment rose by 1.6 points to 37.3. The willingness to buy durable goods also improved, rising by 1.2 points to 25.4, though it remains the weakest among the sub-indices. Meanwhile, inflation expectations remain strong. A record 93.6 per cent of respondents anticipate prices will rise over the next year, up 0.4 percentage points from April. Only 2.2 per cent expect prices to fall. The survey had a 72.4 per cent response rate. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Civil Service spends more than £27million of taxpayers money on equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives in one year
The Civil Service spent more than £27million on equality, diversity and inclusion staff and projects in a year. The first full audit of 'Whitehall wokery' reveals that hundreds of equalities staff are employed by the Government on average salaries of £53,000. A review of Government departments and quangos showed there are 380 'equality, diversity and inclusion' staff working full-time in the Civil Service, with a salary bill of £20million. The internal report from the Cabinet Office revealed there were also 570 diversity networks with 2,965 committee members, which cost taxpayers £534,000 in 2022/23. The £27million figure includes spending on away days and membership of equalities organisations, the research commissioned by the Tories showed. This amount would pay for the winter fuel payments of 135,000 pensioners, or fund more than 1,000 nurses. While EDI staff are supposed to ensure diversity in the Civil Service, they have been criticised for promoting unproven claims on gender and race. They also spent £800,000 on 'external benchmarking' and membership of organisations such as the controversial LGBT charity Stonewall. There are currently around 515,000 full-time equivalent posts in the civil service, which is up from around 380,000 in June 2016 The report came as it emerged the Government is planning to get rid of about 50,000 Civil Service posts, with ministers urged to go even further. Officials suggested around 10 per cent of roles would be scrapped by 2030 as Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer look to shrink the size of the state. There are currently about 515,000 full-time equivalent posts in the Civil Service, which is up from around 380,000 in June 2016. An official briefed on negotiations over Ms Reeves's spending review told the Financial Times: 'I wouldn't be surprised if the number comes down to 450,000 by 2030.' But a report published today by the Policy Exchange think-tank and backed by a former senior mandarin sets out how 80,000 Civil Service jobs could be cut to save £5billion a year. The report recommends a 60 per cent cut in communications, a 50 per cent cut in HR and suggests removing 'excessive layers of management'. However, it urges the Government to balance the cuts with pay rises for the most senior roles, and a reform to the pension system to allow staff to take a pay rise of 10 per cent in return for a reduction in employer pension contributions. The document argues the plan would deliver savings of about £5billion per year including future pension savings, compared with £2billion. The report's author, former Home Office and Cabinet Office director Stephen Webb, said: 'Ministers have recognised early on the problems in the system, and have set out plans to make reductions of £1.5billion by the end of the Parliament. They can go further than this and faster – we believe £5billion reductions in one to two years is deliverable.' Sir Keir recently outlined his ambition to reform what he described as an 'overcautious and flabby' state.
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Trial date set for former civil servant accused of lying about GCHQ role
A former civil servant has appeared in court charged with falsely claiming to be a GCHQ intelligence analyst, the Cabinet Office's 'Head of Western Balkans' and a National Crime Agency (NCA) chief of staff. Ifthikhar Alam, 25, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday charged with three counts of fraud by false representation relating to job applications made between October 2021 and February this year. It is alleged the defendant lied about his employment history to the NCA between October 14 2021 and February 4 2025 by falsely representing he had been employed as an intelligence analyst for GCHQ. The court heard Alam initially worked at the Cabinet Office before being employed at the NCA from June 5 2023 until February 4 this year, when he was dismissed. It is further alleged he lied about being chief of staff to the digital, data and technology director and to the technology director and senior manager in the investigatory powers unit for the NCA to the Joint Maritime Security Centre, a government body which monitors threats around UK waters, between January 8 2024 and April 30 2024. Alam faces a third charge that he lied about his role and experience gained while working in the Cabinet Office, including about being its 'Head of Western Balkans', to the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology between February 25 2024 and December 31 2024. Prosecutor Lyndon Harris told the court the charges arose from the defendant making applications for three separate roles, with the first at the NCA being successful. He said: 'The information given in his applications and in the interviews for those roles was false.' Alam, of Beaulieu Close, Camberwell, south London, spoke only to confirm his identity and enter not guilty pleas to the three charges during the hearing, having already done so at an earlier court appearance. Judge Tony Baumgartner set a provisional trial date for February 22 2027 and granted the defendant unconditional bail.
