Unconscious bias training: SSAC FOI response
Updated 17 December 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ssac-foi-releases-2021/unconscious-bias-training-ssac-foi-response
Date received: 01 March 2021
Date of response: 25 March 2021
1. Information request
Please could you provide me with the following:
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How many staff have undergone unconscious bias training over the last five calendar years? Please could you break down the number by year for 2021 (up to and including the end of February), 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017.
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How much money has been spent unconscious bias training for staff over the last five calendar years? Please could you break down the figure by year for 2021 (up to and including the end of February), 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017. In each case where there has been expenditure on unconscious bias training, please could you state which company the money went to, how much, and the date of the payment.
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If unconscious bias training has been provided to staff, please could you provide details of the format of the training is - its title, how many hours/days the training lasts, and any other relevant detail which summarises what it entails.
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If possible, please could you provide a copy of any training material - documentation including, but not limited to, training packs, worksheets, fact sheets etc - distributed to staff as part of the unconscious bias training in any of the above years. Please note, if this is not possible, please proceed with the remainder of the request.
2. Response
The Social Security Advisory Committee, a statutory independent non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is committed to maintaining a strong focus on diversity and inclusion in all aspects of its business.
We do not hold the information you have requested. The Committee is supported by a small secretariat of up to four civil servants on loan from DWP. The unconscious bias training to which the secretariat would have access is that offered by the Department to its own workforce. If held, DWP would have oversight of the more detailed information you have requested. I understand that you have also submitted a similar Freedom of Information request to them.