UK Inquiry Tracker

Diversity and inclusion in STEM

Science, Innovation and Technology Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 22 Nov 2021 Closed: 19 Feb 2024 Parliament page

There is evidence to suggest that women, certain ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds are underrepresented in education, training and employment related to STEM . While there is significant variation in rates of progression and outcomes across ethnic minority groups, research shows that ethnic minority … Read more There is evidence to suggest that women, certain ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds are underrepresented in education, training and employment related to STEM . While there is significant variation in rates of progression and outcomes across ethnic minority groups, research shows that ethnic minority staff and students have consistently poorer outcomes than white staff and students. There is also variation within ethnic minorities. Recent data from the APPG on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM show that 65% of the STEM workforce are white men and that, proportionally, white women are less likely to be STEM workers than ethnic minority women. Further, the percentage of academic staff with a known disability is lower for staff working in STEM than non-STEM, and 2020 data analysis from the APPG on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM found that disabled people of all ethnicities are underrepresented in the STEM workforce. While there is comparatively less data on the socioeconomic background of the STEM workforce a 2014 Royal Society report found that it does have a strong effect on an individual’s likelihood of entering the scientific workforce. The importance of diversity amongst the research community has been acknowledged by UK Research and Innovation’s Chief Executive, Dame Ottoline Leyser, who said: “high-quality research and innovation needs diversity. You have to have people with different ideas and different backgrounds coming together to create the kind of environment where extraordinary things happen”. We understand that the issues raised in this work may be sensitive or upsetting and the following organisations may be able to offer support or further information: Samaritans – General support for everyone. Call 116 123 - 24 hours a day, every day, or email jo@samaritans.org Mind – for information, advice, and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Call 0300 123 3393. Citizens Advice - For independent, free advice provided by a network of charities online, over the phone and in person on a wide variety of issues including benefits, work, debt, housing, family and immigration. Their Adviceline is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, by calling 0800 144 8848 (England) or 0800 702 2020 (Wales) Show less

17 Recommendations

9 Conclusions

1 Report

5 Oral sessions

3 Letters

5 Events

Activity timeline 15 events

16 Jun
2023

Report published

Third Special Report - Diversity and inclusion in STEM: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report

24 Mar
2023

Report published

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclusion in STEM

16 Nov
2022

Correspondence

Correspondence from the committee to the Secretary of state relating to Diversity and Inclusion in STEM maths funding

14 Jul
2022

Correspondence

Correspondence from the Science Minister relating to diversity and inclusion in STEM and Horizon Europe

30 Jun
2022

Correspondence

Correspondence to the Science Minister relating to diversity and inclusion in STEM and Horizon Europe

15 Jun
2022

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

15 Jun
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

Committee event

18 May
2022

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

18 May
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Committee event

27 Apr
2022

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

27 Apr
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Committee event

16 Mar
2022

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions

15 Jun 2022

View on parliament.uk

George Freeman MP · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Gillian Unsworth · Equality Hub Kemi Badenoch · Government Equalities Office Marcus Bell · Equality Hub Mr Robin Walker · Department for Education Paul Kett · Department for Education Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser DBE FRS · UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

18 May 2022

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Clare Hayes · Hyndland Secondary School Dr Claire Crawford · Institute for Fiscal Studies Dr Jasper Green · Institute of Education Jane Lunnon · Alleyn's School Mark Turner · Skipton High School for Girls Professor Dame Athene Donald · University of Cambridge Professor Ulrike Tillmann · London Mathematical Society Rachel Youngman · Institute of Physics

27 Apr 2022

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Dr Gayle Brewer · University of Liverpool and National Association of Disabled Staff Networks Dr Izzy Jayasinghe · School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, and LGBTQ+ STEM Dr Jasleen Jolly · Anglia Ruskin University and National Association of Disabled Staff Networks Dr Katie Perry · The Daphne Jackson Trust Katharine Birbalsingh CBE · Social Mobility Commission Katherine Sparkes MBE · Lightyear Foundation

16 Mar 2022

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Claudenia Williams · Kingsley Academy Professor Narender Ramnani · Royal Holloway University of London Professor Rachel Oliver FREng · University of Cambridge and The Inclusion Group for Equity in Research and STEMM Russell Hobby · Teach First Sam Freedman · The Institute for Government

23 Feb 2022

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Clare Viney · Careers Research Advisory Centre-Vitae Dr Anna Zecharia · Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Science and Health (EDIS) Dr Jake Anders · UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities Dr Rebecca Montacute · Sutton Trust Katherine Mathieson · British Science Association Professor Jeremy Sanders CBE FRS · Royal Society

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclusion in STEM	HC 95	24 Mar 2023	26	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

11 results

2 Recommendation Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

The benefits of raising levels of diversity and inclusion in STEM education, research settings and...

The benefits of raising levels of diversity and inclusion in STEM education, research settings and workplaces were highlighted by many contributors to our inquiry. The Government, UKRI, other research funders, industry and the education sector have led and participated in … Read more

Government Response

The Government acknowledges the benefits of fostering an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming environment in STEM and highlights the UK Science and Technology Framework.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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5 Recommendation Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

The careers advice and support pupils receive from the earliest years must promote diverse and...

The careers advice and support pupils receive from the earliest years must promote diverse and inclusive role models. Just as it is desirable for children to see themselves in what they learn, they should also see themselves in who they … Read more

Government Response

The government states it is taking forward a programme of work to ensure that both primary and secondary aged children have multiple opportunities to meet inspiring role models from a range of backgrounds to raise their aspirations.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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7 Conclusion Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

The picture between and within different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds is similarly complex, however, pupils...

The picture between and within different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds is similarly complex, however, pupils from some backgrounds, such as Black Caribbean, are clearly underrepresented across STEM subjects at both GCSE and A-level. Others, such as pupils from Chinese backgrounds, … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledges the underrepresentation of some ethnic backgrounds in STEM subjects at GCSE and A-level, but highlights increased STEM participation in higher education among Asian, Black, Mixed, and Other ethnic groups.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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8 Recommendation Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

Access, or lack of it, to the separate study of biology, chemistry and physics at...

Access, or lack of it, to the separate study of biology, chemistry and physics at GCSE—known as the ‘triple science’ option—is a decisive factor for many pupils in determining whether they study STEM subjects at university and enter the STEM … Read more

Government Response

The government supports the increased uptake of pupils to triple science, but believes that teachers and head teachers are best placed to make subject specific decisions.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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12 Recommendation Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

The Government should in its response to this Report set out how it intends to...

The Government should in its response to this Report set out how it intends to deliver on the Prime Minister’s stated ambition. (Paragraph 88) 52 Diversity and inclusion in STEM

Government Response

The Government states its commitment to driving wider participation in STEM and describes a cross-Government action plan to achieve this.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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15 Conclusion Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

STEM teacher salaries must be as competitive as possible with the private sector, and we...

STEM teacher salaries must be as competitive as possible with the private sector, and we welcome the new STEM-focused bursaries and wider efforts by the Government to recruit and retain STEM teachers. However, we do not think the amounts currently … Read more

Government Response

The Department recognises the challenges in recruiting and retaining teachers in some STEM subjects and highlights the bursaries and scholarships available to attract trainee teachers in high-priority subjects, and mentions that bursaries are reviewed annually.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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17 Recommendation Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

We welcome the Government’s nationwide roll-out of a scheme with the engineering sector, designed to...

We welcome the Government’s nationwide roll-out of a scheme with the engineering sector, designed to increase the number of Initial Teacher Training recruits with industry experience. The scheme should, subject to evaluation, be expanded to bring more STEM professionals into … Read more

Government Response

The Department continues to monitor and evaluate the Engineers Teach Physics programme with a view to exploring opportunities to improve the ITT pipeline for STEM teachers more broadly.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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23 Recommendation Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

UKRI must use the publication of its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy, and the...

UKRI must use the publication of its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy, and the multi-year funding settlement from Spring Budget 2022, as a launchpad to promote diversity and inclusion across the research sector. The final version of UKRI’s EDI … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledges the recommendation and highlights UKRI’s EDI strategy with its four objectives and action plans, including exploring extending and expanding the reporting of peer review data across UKRI.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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24 Recommendation Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

Guidance to all Research Council staff should include a specific requirement to ensure representative Committees—for...

Guidance to all Research Council staff should include a specific requirement to ensure representative Committees—for example, greater diversity could be achieved by appointing on potential, rather than on past achievements.

Government Response

The Government agrees more can be done to make committees in UKRI more representative and outlines the UKRI EDI strategy and examples from EDI action plans that support the aim of this recommendation.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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25 Conclusion Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

STEM-related roles are an important part of the UK labour market, and just as is...

STEM-related roles are an important part of the UK labour market, and just as is the case in other workplaces, the benefits of improved diversity and inclusion are clear, for employers and employees alike. The path to achieving this is … Read more

Government Response

DSIT committed to working with the sector to implement the R&D People and Culture Strategy and to work across government to deliver the ambitions set out in the UK’s Science and Technology Framework to expand opportunities for participation in STEM and ensure a more diverse workforce by 2030, through programmes like STEM Ambassadors and British Science Week.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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26 Recommendation Acknowledged

Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclu…

In its response to this Report, the Government should detail how the newly-created Department for...

In its response to this Report, the Government should detail how the newly-created Department for Science, Innovation and Technology intends to drive greater levels of diversity and inclusion across the UK’s STEM sectors. (Paragraph 153) 54 Diversity and inclusion in … Read more

Government Response

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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Government Response AI assessment · 26 of 17 classified

Accepted 9

Acknowledged 11

Not Addressed 6

Total 17 recs + 9 conclusions

Correspondence 3 letters

16 Nov 2022 Correspondence from the committee to the Secretary of state relating to Diversity and Inclusion in STEM maths funding

Parliament page

14 Jul 2022 Correspondence from the Science Minister relating to diversity and inclusion in STEM and Horizon Europe

Parliament page

30 Jun 2022 Correspondence to the Science Minister relating to diversity and inclusion in STEM and Horizon Europe

Parliament page