Written question WQ82537

We are making use of our social partnership approach and our influence to encourage employers to go further to reap the benefits of a more equal, diverse and inclusive workforce. This includes embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into our approach to social partnership and fair work and working with employers, trade unions and others to promote and diffuse best practice.

We are providing a range of individualised support for those who need it. This includes our Community Employability Programmes which provide intensive community based employability support to individuals over the age of 16 who have complex barriers to employment.

We are also focussed on supporting disabled people into work. This includes increasing the number of apprenticeships through employer incentives and establishing a network of disability champions who are engaging with employers to encourage them to create the conditions where disabled people can gain and thrive in employment.

In addition, we are committed to taking forward the actions set out in our Race Equality Action Plan, the Strategic Equality Plan and Gender Equality Review and to responding to the recommendations in the LGBT+ Report and Action Plan. We recognise our important leadership role and this is reflected in the recruitment of 13 Senior Independent Panel Members from a range of backgrounds to sit on public appointment recruitment panels and which we hope will lead to more diverse public appointments and boards.