To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of staff diversity networks in her Department in each of the last five years.

From August 2019, 7 National Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Networks are given pro rata time allocation to support respective network activity. There was no official time allocation given to support Network activity prior to this, tasks were undertaken on a voluntary basis.

Time allocation

The National EDI Network Co-Chairs have a 25%-weekly time allocation and the Strand Lead/Board Member/Committee roles have a weekly 10%-time allocation. Each Network can recruit up to 10 Committee members (please note that not all Networks have up to 10 Committee members).

7 National EDI Networks with allocated time equates to:

1 x 25 % time allocation 37- hour week contract equates to 9.25 hours for each co-chair or 18.5 hours for both per week for each of them (pro rata)

1x10% time allocation 37 – hour week contract equates to 3.7 per committee member, or for each committee member 10 x 10 % equates to 37 hours a week (pro rata)

Across all 7 Networks:

• 70* people support network activity at 10% with 90% of their time focused on their contracted job role.
• 14 people spend 25% of their time on network activity, with 75% of their time focused on their contracted job role.

The cost of staff information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.