Author Archives: HM Government

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Prime Minister yesterday to offer his condolences over the recent tragic events in London.

They agreed the UK and Israel would continue working closely together to counter terrorism and extremism in all its guises.

They agreed the relationship between the UK and Israel would continue to go from strength to strength.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to a two-state solution enabling an Israel free from terrorism and a viable Palestinian state. The Prime Minister noted that settlement-building was an impediment to the progress of peace talks.

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The top 50 UK employers who have taken the most action to improve social mobility in the workplace are announced today (Wednesday 21 June) in what is believed to be the world’s first ever social mobility employer index.

The index is a joint initiative between the Social Mobility Foundation and the Social Mobility Commission, in partnership with the City of London Corporation. It ranks Britain’s employers for the first time on the actions they are taking to ensure they are open to accessing and progressing talent from all backgrounds and it showcases progress towards improving social mobility.

The aim of the index is to encourage firms to share their initiatives and progress in becoming more inclusive employers and to reveal which sectors and companies are taking the issue of social mobility most seriously.

The top 10 firms named in the index top 50 are:

• Grant Thornton UK LLP
• KPMG UK LLP
• Skanska UK PLC
• Standard Life
• Deloitte UK
• JP Morgan
• PwC
• Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP
• WM Morrisons Supermarkets Plc
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Research has consistently shown that people from more affluent backgrounds take a disproportionate number of the best jobs and that employers tend to disproportionately employ graduates who went to private schools and elite universities.

Nearly 100 employers from 17 sectors, who collectively employ just under 1 million people, submitted entries about their practices and procedures in areas such as work with young people, recruitment, selection and progression.

The final rankings (listed below) were decided by a panel of experts and all firms will receive a report with recommendations for areas for improvement.

Key findings include:

• Firms are now increasingly asking both new and current employees about their social background. Four in 10 ask the type of school attended (41%); a quarter ask if an employee received free school meals (26%); 39% ask if employees were the first in their family to go to university; around 1 in 10 ask about parental occupation (7%) and the postcode where an employee grew up (11%)

• Just under 1 in 5 of these firms (17%) now set social mobility targets as part of their business strategy

• The firms collectively scored the highest on their work with young people, providing outreach activities for over 663,000 young people, nearly 10,000 work experience placements and over 5,000 mentors. But they score lowest on helping people from lower socio-economic backgrounds to progress in the workplace

• Nearly three-quarters of the organisations (72%) are offering apprenticeships, but 77% are at levels 2 and 4 (GCSE or A level equivalent) which have been shown to offer lower returns for the apprentices

• 96% of firms say they accept degrees from any university, but 61% of successful applicants attended one of the country’s most selective 24 universities (despite making up just 42% of the applications)

• The top 11 UK universities are visited by employers more than all the other UK universities combined and these 11 are all in the 20% of universities with the lowest percentage of state school students in the country

• Oxford and Cambridge are visited more than 118 other institutions combined. Some firms still take 100% of their recruits from the most selective universities.

David Johnston, Chief Executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, said:

All the top 50 firms in the Social Mobility Employer Index should be applauded for the progress they are making towards ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to get in and get on – regardless of their background.

While no one firm has cracked the issue and there is still progress to be made, they should be congratulated both for having prioritised social mobility and for being prepared to have their processes and practices independently scrutinised.

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn, chair of the Social Mobility Commission, added:

Improving the UK’s dismal social mobility record requires new action by employers and not just governments. It is very welcome that more employers are changing their workforce strategies to ensure they don’t lose out on talented people from less privileged backgrounds. The top 50 are paving the way and I thank them for their efforts. Where they are leading, I hope others will follow.

The annual publication of this index aims to shine a light on how and where progress is being made. Employers that have employees at all levels from a rich variety of social backgrounds are better placed to meet the demands and uncertainties of today’s world. Social mobility is good for employers. And employers can make a major contribution to creating a more mobile society.

Catherine McGuinness, Policy Chairman for the City of London Corporation said:

These firms have shown real ambition in their approach to tackling social mobility. They are leading the way in removing the barriers which are holding back the best and brightest candidates in our society. Statistics show that people from more prosperous backgrounds, who attend private schools and elite universities, often take a disproportionate number of the best jobs.

But more companies are making progress on social mobility, casting the net wider in the search for talent and recognising that a level playing field is in the best interests for all businesses. The index is an effective incentive to UK businesses to demonstrate the progress they are making in this vital area.

The top 50 Social Mobility Employer Index rankings by sector

Ranking	Company	Sector
1	Grant Thornton UK LLP	Professional services
2	KPMG UK LLP	Professional services
3	Skanska UK PLC	Engineering or industrial
4	Standard Life	Investment bank or fund management
5	Deloitte UK	Professional services
6	JP Morgan	Banking or financial services
7	PwC	Professional services
8	Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP	Law
9	WM Morrisons Supermarkets Plc	Retail
10	Enterprise Rent-A-Car	Retail
11	Baker McKenzie	Law
12	Civil Service Fast Stream and Early Talent	Civil Service
13	Fujitsu	IT and telecommunications
14	Ministry of Justice	Public sector
15	Pinsent Masons LLP	Law
16	EY	Professional services
17	Burges Salmon	Law
18	Aspire Housing	Housing, skills and employment and regeneration
19	Clifford Chance	Law
20	Linklaters LLP	Law
21	Rolls Royce Plc	Engineering or industrial
22	Lloyds Banking Group	Banking or financial services
23	EDF Energy	Energy, utility or water
24	O2	IT and telecommunications
25	Herbert Smith Freehills	Law
26	Hogan Lovells International LLP	Law
27	Simmons & Simmons	Law
28	BBC	Public sector
29	Eversheds Sutherland LLP	Law
30	Aberdeen Asset Management	Banking or financial services
31	Barts Health NHS Trust	Public sector
32	Freeths LLP	Law
33	Barclays Bank Plc	Banking or financial services
34	National Grid Plc	Energy, utility or water
35	The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple	Law
36	M&G Investments	Investment bank or fund management
37	HM Revenue & Customs	Public sector
38	Severn Trent	Energy, utility or water
39	Brodies LLP	Law
40	HM Treasury	Public sector
41	Bank of England	Banking or financial services
42	CH2M	Engineering or industrial
43	HFW	Law
44	Ministry of Defence	Public sector
45	Schroders	Investment bank or fund management
46	DLA Piper	Law
47	FDM Group	IT and telecommunications
48	Charles Russell Speechlys	Law
49	Department for Education	Civil Service
50	Stephenson Harwood	Law

1. The Social Mobility Employer Index was developed in consultation with, and following feedback from social mobility experts and major employers. Employers entering the index did so free of charge and voluntarily. To enter, they had to answer questions about actions they are taking in at least one of the following sections:
   • working with young people – well-evaluated programmes that reach beyond the doorstep of the office to all of the country’s talent, and which provide routes into the employer/profession for those that have the interest and aptitude
   • routes into work – well-structured, non-graduate routes that provide genuine parity of esteem and comparable progression to graduate ones
   • attraction – innovative ways of reaching beyond graduates of the usual 5 to 10 universities many top employers focus their efforts on
   • recruitment and selection – evidence that the employer removes hurdles that will disproportionately affect those from lower socio-economic groups and is moving to a system that judges potential rather than past academic performance or polish
   • data collection – rigorous analysis of the profile of the workforce and of measures taken to improve its diversity
   • progression – effective strategies that help those from lower socio-economic groups get on rather than just get in
   • internal/external advocacy – action to get more of their staff involved in efforts to improve social mobility and to get suppliers/peer firms to also take action

2. The submissions were marked using a strict mark scheme and the list of scores was then benchmarked both within the same sector and across different employment sectors. In targeting sectors that have sometimes been identified as needing to improve their socio-economic diversity, the index recognises that process often has to be introduced before progress can be made and does not punish employers for starting from a low base, but rather rewards them for taking significant action to improve this. The top 50 are thus those taking the most action on social mobility and not the 50 that are already the most representative of the country at large.

3. Employers had the option to enter anonymously to receive feedback on their strategies; if they finished in the top 50 they then had the choice of whether to remain anonymous. Two employers did so and this meant those underneath them moved up the published ranking.

4. Both the development of the index and the benchmarking was supported by an advisory group whose membership has representatives from the Association of Graduate Recruiters, the Bridge Group, Royal Holloway University, Stonewall and the Social Mobility Commission.

5. For further information about the index, please visit: http://www.socialmobility.org.uk.

The Social Mobility Foundation

1. The Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) is a charity which aims to make practical improvement in social mobility for young people from low-income backgrounds.

2. It runs free of charge programmes of mentoring, internships, university application support (including trips to universities and help with personal statements, aptitude tests and interviews) and career and skills workshops to support young people through their sixth form and university years.

3. Currently taking on a new cohort of over 1,400 young people every year, the SMF has offices in Birmingham, Glasgow, London, Manchester and Newcastle and runs residential programmes for young from the Isle of Wight to the Western Isles of Scotland across 11 career sectors (accountancy, architecture, banking and finance, biology and chemistry, business, engineering and physics, law, media and communications, medicine, politics and technology).

The Social Mobility Commission

1. The Social Mobility Commission is an advisory, non-departmental public body established under the Life Chances Act 2010 as modified by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. It has a duty to assess progress in improving social mobility in the United Kingdom and to promote social mobility in England. It currently consists of 4 commissioners and is supported by a small secretariat.

2. The commission board currently comprises:
   • Alan Milburn (chair)
   • Baroness Gillian Shephard (deputy chair)
   • Paul Gregg, Professor of Economic and Social Policy, University of Bath
   • David Johnston, Chief Executive of the Social Mobility Foundation
3. The functions of the commission include:
   • monitoring progress on improving social mobility
   • providing published advice to ministers on matters relating to social mobility
   • undertaking social mobility advocacy

The City of London Corporation

1. The City of London Corporation supports and promotes the City as a world leading financial and business hub. It is dedicated to a thriving global City supporting a strong and diverse London within a prospering nation.

2. It boosts young people’s skills and employability through its partnership with City institutions to tackle youth unemployment including through apprenticeships, mentoring, paid work placements schemes and responsible procurement.

3. The City Corporation has created ‘The City’s business’ – a guide which highlights the vital role that City firms can play in reducing youth unemployment in London, and it has pledged to employ 100 apprentices by the end of 2017 to 2018.

4. The City of London Business Traineeship programme, run of behalf of the City of London Corporation, helps state school students from the City’s neighbouring boroughs to develop the skills needed for a successful career.

5. Through the award-winning programme, students can access 6- to 13-week paid internships at some of the City’s most prestigious businesses and institutes. Since the programme launched in 1994, over 1,500 young people have benefited from paid internships with more than 100 of the Square Mile’s top employers providing placements.

6. The City Corporation provides state education through its sponsorship of academies across Hackney, Islington and Southwark, where 77% of students achieved 5A* to C grades in subjects including English and mathematics.

7. It supports London’s communities through responsible business, charitable giving, improving the capital’s air quality, providing education and skills for young people and delivering affordable housing across seven London boroughs – and it is building another 3,700 homes across London by 2025.

8. The City Corporation encourages businesses to support their communities, their workforce and the environment through the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards, the Sustainable City Awards and Heart of the City.

9. City Bridge Trust, the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, is London’s biggest independent grant giver, making grants of £20 million a year to tackle disadvantage across the capital. The trust has awarded around 7,600 grants totalling over £350 million since it first began in 1995. It helps achieve the corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners.

Stephanie Basten, City of London Corporation: Stephanie.Basten@cityoflondoncorporation.gov.uk Tel: 020 7332 1528 / 07725 636 917

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The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the Prime Minister earlier today to congratulate her following the UK election and to discuss how to strengthen and deepen the bilateral relationship between our two countries even further. He said his… read more

Alf became the Chief Constable four years ago and during that time he established strong links and working relationships with a wide range of colleagues across the MOD.

Alf committed the whole of his working life to public service having joined Lancashire Constabulary in 1977 and during the past 40 years he had worked in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), the National Policing Improvement Agency, Bedfordshire Police and, since 2013, the MOD as Chief Constable of the MDP.

In 2005, Alf led the Safer Neighbourhoods Programme within the MPS and delivered the successful roll-out of Neighbourhood Policing across the whole of London by the end of 2006. In 2007, he was appointed as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner within the MPS with responsibility for Operational Services, with portfolios including Professional Standards, Command and Control, Diversity and Citizen Focus. 

In 2009, Alf was appointed Deputy Chief Constable at the National Policing Improvement Agency at Bramshill to help set up the new National College of Police Leadership and to review its leadership courses.

Alf was the national policing lead for equality and human rights for four years until 2016. He was also the national police spokesman on Knife Crime, and in 2008 he was appointed by the then Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, to develop and lead the National Tackling Knives Action Programme.

Moving to Bedfordshire Police in 2011 as the Chief Constable, Alf led a complete restructuring of the force, which resulted in double the national average levels of crime reduction and similar improvements in detection of crimes across the county, whilst meeting the budgetary challenges during this period. It was these skills and qualities that led to his appointment as the Chief Constable of the MDP in 2013.

Mark Lancaster, Minister for the Armed Forces who until recently had ministerial responsibility for the Ministry of Defence Police, said:

I was deeply saddened to hear about the untimely death of Alf Hitchcock.  I knew Alf very well in his capacity as the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police and held him in the highest possible regard. He was a consummate professional and I echo the sentiments that have been made by others.  My sympathies go to Alf’s family and friends at this very difficult time.”  

On Alf Hitchcock’s contribution to policing within the UK, Andy Adams Deputy Chief Constable for the MDP said:

there are few in policing who won’t recognise the name Alf Hitchcock; his impact upon policing has been felt across many police forces as well as at a national level. The sadness felt within the MDP at his loss is palpable – he will be sorely missed as a cop, as a colleague and as a friend to many.

Julie Taylor, Director General Head Office & Commissioning Services commented:

Alf will be sorely missed.  He has been an inspirational leader for the Ministry of Defence Police, modernising the force and ensuring they could rise to the new and demanding challenges they face.  He was liked and respected by his officers and by everyone who knew him in the wider MOD.  Above all, I will remember him as someone who was passionate about public service, relentless in pursuit of excellence and consistently positive and optimistic.  Our thoughts are with his family.

David Riddle, the Chair of the Ministry of Defence Police Committee, said:

Alf Hitchcock’s sudden death last week after a very short illness was a great loss for everyone who knew him, for the force and for policing as a whole.  We will miss him greatly for his kindness, his approachability, his boundless energy and his sense of fun. We will miss him above all for his belief in the importance of policing, and in the police officers under his command who do amazing things day in and day out to deliver security. All the Members of the Ministry of Defence Police Committee send their condolences to Alf’s wife and family, and to all in the force.

Alf was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in 2008 for distinguished services to policing. He was subsequently made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Year’s Honours list for services to Defence and Policing. Alf is survived by his wife Helen, his two daughters and two grandchildren.

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Thank you Mr President,

I join others in welcoming our briefers this morning, and I thank SRSG Mladenov for his second report on the implementation of resolution 2334 and for all his tireless work.

As each briefer has made clear, the Middle East continues to face an unrelenting human tragedy of multiple conflicts and rising tensions. For many in the region, it’s a tragedy that has gone on for over half a century.

We recognise that the anniversary of the war of 1967 holds great significance for all sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict. For Israelis it marks the anniversary of a war from which Israel emerged victorious, against all the odds. For Palestinians it marks an enduring tragedy of 50 years of occupation; 50 years without self-determination.

Let’s be clear; half a century of Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza is a tragedy for all sides; a tragedy for Palestinians who yearn for independence, and a tragedy for Israelis who yearn for peace and security. And it’s a tragedy that has been exploited, with terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hizballah cynically manipulating the narrative of occupation for their own ends.

Mr President, so many decades of violence, loss, anger and hate only proves that conflicts cannot be managed or contained in perpetuity. So this year we must move towards peace, with the support of the region and the international community, rather than continue towards an uncertain and dangerous future.

Support for a two-state solution is the only way to ensure a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And to make that a reality, it is incumbent on both sides to refrain from any steps that damage the prospects of a two-state solution.

This means the people of Israel living free from the scourge of terrorism and anti-Semitic incitement which gravely undermine the prospects for a two-state solution. We condemn the horrific murder of Hadas Malka, a twenty-three year old Israeli Policewoman last Friday. We condemn the recent discovery of part of a tunnel passing under two UNRWA schools in Gaza. We call on Hamas to renounce violence and dismantle its tunnel network; they cannot be allowed to pose a threat to Israel’s security.

And, Mr President, if the two-state solution is to become a reality, it also must mean Israel refraining from further settlement expansion. Only last week, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary condemned Israel’s latest announcement to build over 3,000 settlement units throughout the West Bank. The number of units planned for construction this year is now at its highest in a quarter of a century. These moves undermine the physical viability of two states for two peoples.

Despite these challenges, the United Kingdom’s longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process remains clear and unchanged: we support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state; based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees.

But this vision has proved elusive for far too long. The changing regional context and converging Arab and Israeli interests presents a unique opening to develop Arab-Israeli relations and create the conditions for serious Israeli-Palestinian talks to resume. With that in mind, we welcome the Arab League Secretary-General’s reaffirmation of the Arab Peace Initiative here today.

The leadership and engagement that President Trump and his administration have demonstrated in reinvigorating the Middle East Peace Process must have our support. We call on the region, Israelis, and Palestinians to seize the opportunity that this presents and turn 2017 not just into another anniversary of occupation, but a new anniversary of peace.

We cannot afford to fail. As Special Coordinator Mladenov has made clear, there is an urgent need to address the dire and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, with over 65,000 people currently displaced.

The ongoing energy crisis is particularly concerning. Energy supply in Gaza will soon fall to just three hours per day. This is having a serious humanitarian impact, disrupting basic services, including water treatment and essential medical operations. This latest crisis underlines the need for de-escalation, dialogue and a durable agreement between Palestinian actors that results in the Palestinian Authority’s full control over the Gaza Strip.

Before I give up the floor, let me turn briefly to the situation in Lebanon. We welcome the new electoral law ratified by the Lebanese Parliament on the 16th of June. This is an important milestone towards continued governance and stability, which paves the way for new elections.

But we must not forget the importance of ensuring stability flowing across the whole of Lebanon. So we’re concerned at the increased Hizballah rhetoric along Lebanon’s Southern border and we call on both sides to abide by Resolutions 1701 and 1559. Renewed conflict is in neither side’s interest and we call on all actors to take steps to de-escalate tensions.

Thank you.

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