We centrally hold some of the information requested.

In as far as data is centrally held, I refer the hon. Member to the Civil Service statistics, for the Cabinet Office, at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/civilservicestatistics

The Declaration on Government Reform (2021) stated: "There is however more we must do to attract a broader range of people to the privilege of public service... It should be natural for people with careers and skills built in business to serve in government for a period, and for those in public service to spend time in organisations which are not dependent on public money... We will develop new entry routes from industry, academia, the third sector and the wider public sector, with flexibility to suit those who want to build a career in government and those who want a shorter tour of duty."

On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.

The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.

The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

The Equality Hub manages recruitment campaigns through Civil Services Jobs and all adverts include salary band information. Salary bands are a mandatory field within the Civil Service Jobs portal for all roles. We use the Cabinet Office pay scales when advertising roles.

The Equality Hub is focused on delivering Ministers’ priorities and we have the necessary resources to do this. As part of the restructure process we consulted with staff, including through a staff engagement panel, and with the unions in line with Cabinet Office policies. We expect the restructure to conclude over the coming month.

Regarding overtime, all full time Equality Hub staff are contracted to work 37 hours per week. Overtime is used by exception and requires prior authorisation. In the last 12 months the amount of overtime accrued by staff was minimal, therefore a breakdown per month is not possible to provide.

The Equality Hub is focused on delivering Ministers’ priorities and we have the necessary resources to do this. As part of the restructure process we consulted with staff, including through a staff engagement panel, and with the unions in line with Cabinet Office policies. We expect the restructure to conclude over the coming month.

Regarding overtime, all full time Equality Hub staff are contracted to work 37 hours per week. Overtime is used by exception and requires prior authorisation. In the last 12 months the amount of overtime accrued by staff was minimal, therefore a breakdown per month is not possible to provide.

The Equality Hub is focused on delivering Ministers’ priorities and we have the necessary resources to do this. As part of the restructure process we consulted with staff, including through a staff engagement panel, and with the unions in line with Cabinet Office policies. We expect the restructure to conclude over the coming month.

Regarding overtime, all full time Equality Hub staff are contracted to work 37 hours per week. Overtime is used by exception and requires prior authorisation. In the last 12 months the amount of overtime accrued by staff was minimal, therefore a breakdown per month is not possible to provide.

As part of a recent structure, we considered the staffing levels required to deliver an agreed set of priorities with Ministers. The resources that we have enable us to deliver those priorities whilst ensuring staff workloads are appropriate.

The Equality Hub is delivering efficiencies whilst also ensuring it has the necessary resources to deliver its important work. As part of the restructure we looked at what activity can be stopped, paused or delayed and we agreed this, and future priorities, with Ministers. The resources that we have enable us to deliver those priorities whilst ensuring staff workloads are appropriate.

The Equality Hub is part of the Cabinet Office, and as such its priorities are published through their Outcome Delivery Plan. Work on the Cabinet Office Outcome Delivery Plan is underway and it will be published in due course.

The Equality Hub was formed by bringing together four units: the Disability Unit, Government Equalities Office, Race Disparity Unit, and the Social Mobility Commission secretariat. It is part of the Cabinet Office, and as such its annual accounts and priorities are published through their annual reporting. These are set out below:

The Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts:

• 2020-21: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1002878/15640_CO_Annual_Report_2020_2021_digital_temp.pdf,
• 2021-22: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2021-22.
• 2022-23: The annual report and accounts for 2022-23 will be published after the end of the financial year.

The Cabinet Office Outcome Delivery Plan:

• 2021-22: setting out the Equality Hub (including GEO and RDU) priorities is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-outcome-delivery-plan/cabinet-office-outcome-delivery-plan-2021-to-2022#improving-levels-of-equality-across-the-uk.
• The Outcome Delivery Plan for the next period is being prepared.

The work of the Equality Hub is also scrutinised by the Women and Equalities Select Committee. The Hub provides financial and staffing information when requested, most recently here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/34198/documents/188113/default/

For reporting purposes the Prime Minister’s Office, Government Property Agency, Civil Service Commission, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, Committee on Standards in Public Life, Security Vetting Appeals Panel, Senior Salaries Review Body, Social Mobility Commission, Equality Hub, Government Equalities Office, Commissioner for Public Appointments, Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests and House of Lords Appointments Commission are an integral part of the Cabinet Office and consolidated as part of our group expenditure.

Expenditure on consultancy is published annually in our annual report and accounts and I refer the hon Member to my answer to PQ 22549 on 23 June, where our spend is outlined.

Details of consultancy contracts, including the supplier, above £10,000, are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder)

The Equality Hub is part of the Cabinet Office, and therefore its work is covered by the Cabinet Office’s wider Outcome Delivery Plan. All departments’ Outcome Delivery Plans for the current year were published on 15 July 2021. The Equality Hub’s work includes development and delivery of specific strategies across government, for example the National Disability Strategy.

Each department is responsible for the equality work relating to their portfolio. This will be reflected in their Outcome Delivery Plan, Equality Objectives, and other relevant strategies, and equality considerations will be factored into their wider work in line with the public sector equality duty.

The creation of the new Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities reflects the Government’s commitment to levelling up and will be instrumental in driving forward the agenda across government, ensuring we are geared up to deliver on our ambitions. This is a transformative agenda and the Department’s priority is to produce a White Paper which matches our ambition and which will drive change for years to come. The links between levelling up and equality work will be even stronger given the Minister of State for Equalities is now based in that Department.

The Equality Hub, at the heart of Government in the Cabinet Office, has a key role in driving Government priorities on equality and opportunity. The Equality Hub is leading on several cross-cutting projects, which involves working closely with other departments and Ministerial-level discussions. This includes work related to women’s economic empowerment, LGBT rights and the National Strategy for Disabled People, as well as work on the Government’s response to the final report of the independent Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. We will also use the UK’s role as President of the G7 and our independent Gender Equality Advisory Council to ramp up work on equality.

In December 2020, we announced the Equality Data Project, the Government's new approach to tackling inequality that supports our manifesto commitment to level up across the UK. This will consider issues like geography and social background, alongside other characteristics, to enable us to understand where individuals are being held back across the UK. The Equality Hub will share the evidence from this inquiry with other government departments to help inform their work.

We also announced in December that the sponsorship of, and secretariat to, the independent Social Mobility Commission would move to the Equality Hub in the Cabinet Office from 1 April 2021. This move reflects the importance of the Social Mobility Commission for our levelling up agenda and ensures that equality and fairness of all kinds are at the heart of government.

More broadly, all departments ensure that equality considerations are at the heart of their decision-making; this is key to the Government’s commitment to delivering equality of opportunity for all as well as complying with legal requirements under the public sector equality duty. Officials in the Equality Hub provide advice to departments to assist with this.

The new Equality Hub, in the Cabinet Office, brings together the Disability Unit, Government Equalities Office, Race Disparity Unit and, from 1 April, the sponsorship of, and secretariat to, the Social Mobility Commission. The Government Equalities Office’s remit related to gender equality, LGBT rights and the overall framework of equality legislation for Great Britain. The Equality Hub reports to Ministers who have other portfolios outside of the Cabinet Office, led by the Minister for Women and Equalities Liz Truss.

The Equality Hub has a key role in driving Government priorities on equality and opportunity. The Hub has a particular focus on improving the quality of evidence and data about disparities and the types of barriers different people face, ensuring that fairness is at the heart of everything we do.

Key to this is looking beyond a focus solely on statutory protected characteristics to ensure we understand how different issues interact, including in socio-economic and geographic inequality. In this way, the Equality Hub is key to driving progress on the Government’s commitment to levelling up opportunity and ensuring fairness for all.