Members of the “common sense” group of MPs were alarmed at reports that this controversial training is continuing in the civil service despite a decision to scrap it in 2020.
Former security minister Sir John Hayes and ex-trade and industry minister Sir Edward Leigh are among those who expressed fears in a letter to Mr Barclay that civil servants had chosen to “disregard” and “subvert” the decision. They say that to continue to provide it is “a sign of open contempt for ministerial authority”.
The MPs write: “The costly, divisive and corrosive impact of such ideologically charged training is recognised by the Government.”
The training is intended to help people identify prejudice and prevent discrimination but last year’s report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities called on organisations to “move away from funding unconscious bias training” and instead take action to “ensure wider exposure of ethnic minority individuals to their peers, managers and other decision makers”.
An overview of research by the Behavioural Insights Team in December 2020 concluded there is “currently no evidence that this training changes behaviour or improves workplace equality in terms of representation of women, ethnic minorities or other minority groups in position of leadership or reducing pay inequalities.”
The signatories to the letter want the training “removed, without delay, from all facets of civil service training” and have asked for an “urgent response on who is responsible for this disregard for Government policy” and “how they will be held to account”.
It was reported earlier this month that unconscious bias training was included in a course on the civil service’s online learning portal.
A Government spokesman said: “All standalone mandatory unconscious bias training was removed in December 2020 in line with ministerial direction. There are references to unconscious bias training within the range of legacy diversity and inclusion courses currently available to civil servants.
“We are in the process of updating all our training courses.”
The Cabinet Office does not hold information on what individual departments may be offering in relation to this training and stresses that it remains committed to creating a “diverse and inclusive” workspace.
