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Equality and Diversity

Volume 455: debated on Tuesday 16 January 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to implement the recommendations of the Civil Service capability review of her Department on equality and diversity among staff. (114518)

Communities and Local Government has already taken significant steps including the creation of a workplace equalities team in October. This has contributed to work on the new race equality and disability equality schemes and the forthcoming gender equality scheme.

In direct response to the capability review we will be drawing on this work and will publish a workplace equality strategy this March. Key themes included will be in line with Whitehall's ten point plan on equality: targets and measurement; leadership and accountability; recruitment and promotion; development, learning culture and working practices, and communications.

We have already introduced practical measures including signing up to become an "exemplar" employee (as recommended by the Women and Work Commission) and opening all new jobs to flexible working wherever possible.