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Last updated: 30 November 2008
The Civil Service is committed to providing equal opportunities for all, irrespective of ethnicity or nationality, gender, transgender, sexuality, disability, age, religion, marital status and working patterns. It aims to listen to, value and respect everyone as individuals with a contribution to make to ensure the Service achieves its aims.
The Cabinet Office is responsible for ensuring that the Civil Service as a whole meets the Government's commitment to achieving greater representation of minority ethnic staff, women and staff with disabilities at senior levels, and to value the diverse skills, experience and background of all who work in the Civil Service.
Led by the General Fast Stream, overall applications from women dropped to 46.7% compared with 49.9% in 2002. This year they made up 49.8% of those recommended for appointment compared with 52.1% in 2002, and 55% of those recommended for appointment for the General Fast Stream, compared with 56.6% a year earlier. The gender split for the Statisticians remained fairly balanced: 49.9% of applicants were women, as were 50% of those recommended for appointment. In the Economists competition, men made up 68.6% of the applicants and 67.6% of the successful candidates. [See Chart 1]
Chart 1 – Women: Applications and Appointments 1 by Competition
The Analysis by Gender (PDF) table details the number of applicants by gender at each selection stage of the Fast Stream schemes
In terms of their progress through the selection processes, in all competitions, women applicants were slightly more successful than men. In total 2.7% of the women who applied for the Fast Stream were recommended for appointment, compared with 2.5% of the applicants overall.
The proportion of both applications and successful candidates from ethnic minority groups decreased slightly in 2003. Applications across the Fast Stream dropped marginally from 17.0% in 2002 to 16.3% this year with variations in application rates across the different schemes. Of those recommended for appointment, 7.8% overall were from ethnic minority groups compared with 9.7% last year. [See Chart 2]. Only the Economist scheme saw an increase – from 14.7% of successes in 2002 to 19.8% this year.
Applications from ‘non respondents’ - those who chose not to declare their ethnicity - rose from 1.6% to 5.3% in 2003. However early indications are that in the 2004 schemes, the non-respondent figures have returned to their previous levels. In the GFS, 4.4% of successful candidates were ethnic minority graduates, compared with 7.4% last year and 6.0% in 2001.
Chart 2 – Applications and Appointments2 by Ethnicity
The Analysis by Ethnicity (PDF) table contains the number of applicants by ethnicity at each selection stage of the Fast Stream schemes.
Ethnic minority applicants were less successful than white candidates as they progressed through the selection stages. Overall 1.2% of ethnic minority Fast Stream applicants were recommended for appointment, compared with 2.5% of applicants overall.
The overall percentage of applicants recording a disability has risen from 1.9% in 2002 to 2.4% this year. Unlike the percentage application figures for women and ethnic minorities, this remains low in comparison with the university population (6.4%)3. The percentage of candidates recording a disability and recommended for appointment dropped slightly from 3.9% last year to 3.5% in 2003.
In the GFS, the number of applicants recording a disability has risen from 213 (1.9% of total) in 2002 to 426 (2.4% of total) this year. Of these candidates, 106 requested a PIB and exemption from the QT, and a further 197 requested a PIB after lack of success in the QT. In total, 69 candidates were successful at PIB and invited to CSSB. There were 14 GFS candidates with a recorded disability who were recommended for appointment - a decrease to 3.9% this year, from 4.7% in 2002.
The Analysis by Disability (PDF) table provides the number of applicants recording a disability at the applicant and assessment centre stage, and includes figures for those who requested an interview under the Department for Work & Pensions’ Employer Disability Symbol (two ticks) scheme.
In terms of progression through the selection processes, with the exception of the Statistics competition, disabled applicants were proportionally more successful. Altogether 3.7% of Fast Stream applicants declaring a disability were recommended for appointment, compared with the overall success rate for applicants (2.5%).
Continuing previous years’ trends the average age on application for the schemes overall, and for the GFS, has remained at 24 years. This is also the average age of successful candidates in both cases.
Applications for the 2003 Fast Stream again came from all UK universities and a wide range of academic backgrounds. The 510 candidates recommended for appointment came from 61 different universities. Across all Fast Stream schemes, applications from Oxbridge universities rose from 8.4% to 9.1% of the total, and for the first time since 2000 the proportion of successful candidates coming from Oxbridge increased.
The majority of candidates recommended for appointment have come from humanities, language and social science backgrounds. In the GFS, 64% of successful candidates have come from these disciplines. In the Statistician scheme, which requires numerate disciplines, 78% of candidates recommended for appointment had mathematical science backgrounds. A background in economics is a requirement of the Economist scheme, and 85% of its successful candidates had a first degree background in Economics.
The Analysis by University (PDF) table lists the university of first degree for both applicants and successful candidates
The Analysis by Degree (PDF) table details the degree types of applicants and successful candidates in line with the categories of the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
The Open Fast Stream Diversity Trends (PDF) table provides overall diversity trend data over the last 7 years for all the open Fast Streams.
Chart 3 – Number of Applications by Year and Gender
Chart 4 – Success Rates4 by Year and Gender
The General Fast Stream Diversity Trends (PDF) table provides diversity trend data over the last 7 years for the GFS alone.