Cabinet Office minister Esther McVey is concerned they may be spending “tens of thousands of working hours” on staff “networks”.
The civil service says the networks allow “underrepresented groups to feel a sense of community and be supported”.
Staff networks support minorities, different faiths and people with disabilities. Others help parents and carers and promote flexible working.
But Ms McVey said there is a “difference between making the civil service more representative” and “spending taxpayer-funded time on things like network away-days or promoting working from home”. She warned that “when staff network activity takes over from the day job – even with the best intentions – then that is a problem”.
A key goal is ensuring they do not undermine the civil service’s impartiality.
“It is fine for civil servants to support diversity – but never if that leads to bias,” she said. “The civil service works for the entire country, never just one group and it should always act with that in mind.” The minister added: “I also expect them to operate from another key principle – the day job comes first, as the public would expect.
“We cannot issue a blank cheque to these networks. We must have value for money, respect taxpayers’ money – and it is right time allocated on such activities is regulated and appropriately scrutinised.”
Paymaster General John Glen recently announced “impartiality guidance which will support civil servants to remain objective when engaging in diversity and inclusion work”.
Ms McVey said: “This isn’t a ‘war on woke’, it’s a ‘war on waste’.”
