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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to increase the number of public appointments of BAME representation in the last three months.

Matthew Hancock

The Government is committed to increasing the diversity of public appointments. The Centre for Public Appointments in the Cabinet Office supports departments on all issues relating to the diversity of public appointments. Steps we are taking to increase diversity include streamlining the application process​, placing an emphasis on ability over previous experience,​ and increasing awareness of opportunities by using a central website, social media. The Centre for Public Appointments also engages extensively with a variety of diversity networks​ and groups representing the views of ethnic minorities to raise awareness and increase the number of applications coming from BAME candidates and understand any potential issues or barriers.

I hosted an event in February for a variety of diversity networks to encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply for Public Appointments and to advertise them in their own networks. The Cabinet Office is also represented at events run by diversity networks to raise awareness of the opportunities available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to increase the number of public appointments of women in the last three months.

Matthew Hancock

The Government is committed to increasing the diversity of public appointments and​ has an​ aspiration that 50% of new public appointees should be women. We are making ​good ​progress, with 44% of new appointments made to women in 2014-2015 and a higher proportion of all public appointments (new appointments and reappointments) went to women last year than at any other point previously recorded.

The Centre for Public Appointments in the Cabinet Office supports departments on all issues relating to the diversity of public appointments. Steps we are taking to increase diversity include streamlining the application process​, placing an emphasis on ability over previous experience,​ and increasing awareness of opportunities by using a central website, social media.

I hosted an event in February for a variety of diversity networks to encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply for Public Appointments and to advertise them in their own networks. The Cabinet Office is also represented at events run by diversity networks to raise awareness of the opportunities available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what investment his Department has made in software components in the last six months.

Matthew Hancock

The Cabinet Office routinely purchases software components to facilitate business operations and has purchased a number of software components, such as desktop software, document management systems, business applications and software as service components. Details of transactions are listed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-spend-data

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials in the private offices group are employed on temporary contracts.

Matthew Hancock

At 31 January 2016, the Private Office Group in my department employed no officials on temporary contracts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to improve Black and minority ethnic representation in the Senior Civil Service his Department.

Matthew Hancock

The Cabinet Office promotes a number of cross Government talent schemes to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and disabled staff, to accelerate their promotion to Senior Civil Service roles. This includes Civil Service wide talent schemes such the Future Leaders Scheme (aimed at G6&7 staff) and the Senior Leaders Scheme (aimed at SCS Pay Band 1). Additionally, it promotes development schemes aimed specifically at BAME and disabled staff including the Accelerate talent programme (for SCS) and the Positive Action Pathway (for staff below SCS).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how he plans to reduce the cost per participant of the National Citizen Service.

Mr Rob Wilson

Consecutive, independent evaluations have demonstrated that National Citizen Service (NCS) delivers value for money and that the cost per participant has fallen since NCS began. In 2013, the NCS Trust, an independent social enterprise, was established to manage NCS and deliver the programme. Cabinet Office is working closely with the NCS Trust to develop their plans to extend NCS to 360,000 young people per year by 2020, whilst ensuring value for money for the taxpayer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what shared platforms the Government is building or has commissioned to improve the delivery of Government services.

Matthew Hancock

The following platforms have been commissioned or built to improve the delivery of Government services:

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