Diversity and equal opportunities

In December 2006 we published our Disability Equality Scheme and are now working with our Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) Focus Group to publish our Single Equality Scheme. This covers all strands of diversity and exceeds our statutory duty to publish a Gender Equality Scheme by 30 April 2007.

Work is continuing to set up a Black & Minority Ethnic Focus Group in addition to our disability and LGBT focus groups. Having joined the Stonewall Diversity Champions' Programme and made an application for Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index to benchmark our performance, their feedback shows that we have produced an overall improvement in our performance of 14 per cent from last year.

Our first official response to the Civil Service 10-point plan has recently been lodged and we continue to monitor our progress to reach all targets. The plan was developed following a review of equality and diversity in employment in the Civil Service by the Chief Diversity Adviser to the Civil Service. The aim of the plan is to improve the delivery of services for everyone in society through achieving a truly diverse Civil Service workforce at all levels, including our most senior.