Fifth Report - Diversity and Inclusion in STEM

Select Committee

Science, Innovation and Technology Committee HC 95 24 March 2023

Report Status Government responded

Conclusions & Recommendations 26 items (17 recs)

Source View on Parliament website

Government Response (AI assessment · 26 of 26 classified)

Accepted 9

Acknowledged 11

Not Addressed 6

Recommendations

17 results

1 Accepted

Para 14

The Government should, in its response to this Report, tell us how it plans to...

Recommendation

The Government should, in its response to this Report, tell us how it plans to monitor, evaluate and report on progress in delivering “in-house STEM capability” across public services, including the NHS and schools.

Government Response Summary

The government states that the S&T Framework commits to building STEM skills and literacy, highlights the role of the GSE Profession, mentions the GSE strategy on Diversity and Inclusion, and states that DSIT will publish an update by the end of 2023 on the progress of the framework.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

2 Acknowledged

Para 32

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

Recommendation

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 Summary

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

3 Not Addressed

Improved data collection and the application of lessons from it are key to addressing under-representation.

Recommendation

Improved data collection and the application of lessons from it are key to addressing under-representation. We welcome the biannual Research and Innovation workforce survey being led by BEIS, and the Government’s recognition of the need to better capture the diversity … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government's response only mentions its ambition on STEM, without addressing the specific recommendation to set out how it plans to make the Research and Innovation workforce survey meaningfully useful or to include an action plan with the forthcoming results.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

5 Acknowledged

Para 44

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

Recommendation

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 Summary

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

8 Acknowledged

Para 72

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

Recommendation

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 Summary

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

10 Accepted

Para 77

The Government should tell us whether it has consulted with Ofsted on levels of uptake...

Recommendation

The Government should tell us whether it has consulted with Ofsted on levels of uptake and attainment among different groups of children, and whether it has discussed an expansion of its inspection criteria to include a more comprehensive picture of … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government states that Ofsted already considers curriculum breadth and equal access to high-quality education, including addressing barriers to STEM take-up among girls, disadvantaged pupils, and those with SEND.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

11 Accepted

Para 78

Ofsted should, as part of its inspection criteria, gather data and report on levels of...

Recommendation

Ofsted should, as part of its inspection criteria, gather data and report on levels of subject take-up and attainment among pupils with different characteristics, such as gender, ethnic background and socio-economic background. The latter could utilise Free School Meals eligibility, … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government states that Ofsted already considers curriculum breadth and equal access to high-quality education, including addressing barriers to STEM take-up among girls, disadvantaged pupils, and those with SEND.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

12 Acknowledged

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

Recommendation

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 Summary

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

13 Not Addressed

Para 89

We recommend as an alternative to compulsion the introduction of a requirement for pupils who...

Recommendation

We recommend as an alternative to compulsion the introduction of a requirement for pupils who do not continue with a STEM subject post-16 to take the Advanced Mathematical Support Programme or a Core Science course. Core Science could be developed … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government restates the recommendation verbatim without providing a response.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

14 Accepted

Para 96

There are clear benefits when children are taught by teachers with qualifications, professional experience, or...

Recommendation

There are clear benefits when children are taught by teachers with qualifications, professional experience, or specialism in those subjects. The Government should set a target for every child to be taught STEM subjects by teachers with qualifications in that subject … Read more

Government Response Summary

The Department recognises the importance of teachers having strong subject knowledge, particularly in STEM subjects, and states that they have designed a suite of professional development opportunities, including National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), to support teachers.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

16 Accepted

Para 109

The Government should assess the impact of further salary increases on recruitment targets for STEM...

Recommendation

The Government should assess the impact of further salary increases on recruitment targets for STEM subjects with particularly acute shortages; and detail its findings in its response to this Report. It should also tell us what further interventions are planned … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government highlights existing challenges in recruitment and retention of teachers in STEM subjects, and mentions the £181 million available in bursaries and scholarships to attract trainee teachers in high-priority subjects.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

17 Acknowledged

Para 112

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

Recommendation

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 Summary

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

18 Not Addressed

The Government should consider what support it could offer to initiatives such as Now Teach,...

Recommendation

The Government should consider what support it could offer to initiatives such as Now Teach, which draw upon experienced professionals to help meet STEM teacher recruitment challenges and to inspire a more diverse range of pupils to continue with STEM … Read more

Government Response Summary

The response focuses on female representation in STEM subjects at A level, which does not address the recommendation about supporting initiatives such as Now Teach to help meet STEM teacher recruitment challenges.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

19 Not Addressed

The Government, UK Research and Innovation and other research funders should make funding available for...

Recommendation

The Government, UK Research and Innovation and other research funders should make funding available for research facilities undertaking reasonable adjustments to ensure they are fully accessible. (Paragraph 127) Diversity and inclusion in STEM 53

Government Response Summary

The response focuses on female representation in STEM subjects at A level, which does not address the recommendation about funding for research facilities to undertake reasonable adjustments to ensure they are fully accessible.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

23 Acknowledged

Para 142

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

Recommendation

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 Summary

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

24 Acknowledged

Para 143

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

Recommendation

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 Summary

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

26 Acknowledged

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

Recommendation

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 Summary

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

Conclusions (9) Observations and findings — click to expand

4 Conclusion Accepted

Para 38

All children should be able to see themselves in what they learn from an early age. The national curriculum and exam subject specifications should be kept under review and updated where it is appropriate to the context to include more diverse examples, such as female scientists.

Government Response Summary

The government states that it funds a network of 29 Science Learning Partnerships that provide CPD to teachers and technicians to improve subject knowledge and pedagogy.

6 Conclusion Accepted

Para 70

The data on STEM subject uptake and attainment at GCSE and A-level paints a complex picture. There are clear differences between boys and girls, with the latter seemingly less inclined to pursue STEM subjects than the former. The evidence our inquiry received offered no consensus as to the reasons for …

Government Response Summary

The government presents data showing improved female representation in STEM subjects at A level, highlighting increases in STEM A-level entries from girls, and their attainment.

7 Conclusion Acknowledged

Para 71

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, are often well- represented.

Government Response Summary

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.

9 Conclusion Accepted

Para 76

We welcome Ofsted’s recent report examining science education in primary and secondary schools. However, some contributors to our inquiry suggested that given the importance of inspection, it could do more to encourage diversity and inclusion in STEM education.

Government Response Summary

The government states that Ofsted plays an important role in ensuring pupils have access to high quality STEM teaching and considers the breadth of the curriculum and equal access to education during school inspections.

15 Conclusion Acknowledged

Para 108

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 on offer will prove anywhere near sufficient to address longstanding …

Government Response Summary

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.

20 Conclusion Not Addressed

Para 129

Some STEM researchers face a discriminatory working environment. Whilst this reflects inequities that exist elsewhere in society it is nevertheless a source of deep concern. The process of reducing and ultimately ending such prejudice will not be swift but is vitally important.

Government Response Summary

The response focuses on statistics about Asian, Black, Mixed and Other ethnic group UK pupils in STEM courses, and does not address the discriminatory working environment faced by some STEM researchers.

21 Conclusion Not Addressed

Para 132

Our inquiry received evidence that highlighted the importance of addressing as a matter of urgency the precarious nature of many contracts in STEM academia. We examined these issues in greater depth as part of our inquiry into reproducibility and research integrity.

Government Response Summary

The response focuses on statistics about Asian, Black, Mixed and Other ethnic group UK pupils in STEM courses, and does not address the issue of precarious contracts in STEM academia.

22 Conclusion Accepted

Para 140

We welcome the move towards alternative processes such as narrative CVs and hope to see them become the norm in STEM research funding calls, subject to evaluation.

Government Response Summary

UKRI has been supporting the wider community adoption of narrative CV formats through a vanguard R&I community roll out programme, co-creating resources and piloting the narrative CV in over 25 funding opportunities across UKRI’s remit.

25 Conclusion Acknowledged

Para 152

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 not necessarily STEM-specific, but is rather likely to require a …

Government Response Summary

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.