The Treasury has removed a numeracy test from its graduate scheme to boost its number of diversity hires. The Telegraph has more.
The Government department quietly scrapped the numerical reasoning test from its application process in 2020 owing “to evidence of the test having an adverse impact on candidate diversity”.
The measure, uncovered by the Spectator magazine, has been described as “insane” and “through the looking glass” by critics.
In Freedom of Information requests obtained by the magazine, it reported that the Treasury conducted a review of its policy adviser graduate programme in 2019 over concerns the scheme was not diverse enough.
The review recommended removing the numeracy test. The measure subsequently increased the diversity of candidates who passed the application process in 2020.
Minutes from an internal governance board meeting at the time explained the test was taken out to remove a “hurdle” for candidates and to ensure “more diverse ethnicity (candidates) at assessment centres”.
It added that “having two tests creates an additional ‘hurdle’ for candidates to jump over and another opportunity for candidates to be sifted out of the process”.
At the same time the Treasury altered its assessment process by increasing the number of candidates who passed its situational judgement test “to maximise the number of diverse candidates in our process”.
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s economic spokesman, told the Telegraph: “If people can’t add up, they shouldn’t be in the Treasury.
“We need the best people, regardless of their background. As chancellor I will end this nonsense and restore meritocracy to appointments.”
Jack Rankin, the Conservative MP for Windsor, added: “Truly through the looking glass stuff, the public sector is so sick.
“They’ve sat around and decided, without dissent, that ethnicity is more important than numeracy in appointments to the Treasury. We must change this thinking – top to bottom.”
In a post on X, Dr Zubir Ahmed, who is reportedly being considered by Andy Burnham to become his health secretary, said: “I’m sorry, but this is insane and helps no one.”
Worth reading in full.
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No one mentions the well known facts about national IQ score variability.
Racist. Apparently.
It is all part of the plan to destroy meritocracy.
Once it is done away with we can go back to promoting leaders by nepotism and the power of the gun.
I was struck by Rupert Lowe’s new idea about these things:
“We are determined to put together a team of spokespeople who actually know what they are talking about on their brief.
Not career politicians shuffled around like playing cards.
Henry is a genuine world-class expert on national security.
It’s great to have him on the Restore Britain team.”
Rupert Lowe MP on X: “I’m delighted to announce Henry Bolton OBE (@_HenryBolton) as Restore Britain’s spokesman on national security – Henry is responsible for developing and maintaining the framework that ensures the party’s policies are effective in preserving, protecting, securing and defending the https://t.co/g8ZjAioDG5” / X
Numeracy? In government finance? Well, it’s a novel idea.
The incompetence of HMT and BoE suggests they recruited people analphabetic in financial matters and in numbers long before 2020.
Elsewhere I read that they (the Treasury civil service) also did away with verbal reasoning assessments.
Bearing in mind that these were graduate-level recruitments, I really do wonder what form these tests took and why certain groups which would have increased ‘diversity’ performed less well in them. Anyone got any examples?
I suppose if you have a thick/less thick workforce you have achieved some sort of diversity.
I found this page which I suspect partially answers my question above: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/preparing-for-the-civil-service-verbal-and-numerical-tests#practice-tests
Which political party was in power in 2020 when this change was made?
The Blue Uniparty.
Unbelievable! So for the past six years, the Treasury has been hiring Third World Ethnics as thick as mince.
“Well, that’s encouraging!”, said no one ever…
So much of this irrational, woke BS everywhere. The UK needs Reform, both figuratively and literally. From the Telegraph;
”Businesses that hire and promote young ethnic-minority people should be rewarded with greater access to government funding, a task force backed by Andy Burnham has urged.
The Growth and Skills Levy should be used to “incentivise employers to improve recruitment, retention, and progression outcomes for black, Asian, and mixed heritage young people”, said a report from the Race Equity in Employment Task Force.
However, the Conservatives said the proposals risked “introducing unfairness in the name of equality”.
Other recommendations include setting targets to reduce racial disparities in the job market in each region of the country and linking public procurement contracts to social goals, including youth employment plans.
The report argued that ethnic-minority young people were under-represented in apprenticeships, and noted that black teenagers and young adults were the most likely group to be not in employment, education or training (Neets) between 16 and 24.
In contrast, data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service indicate that white school leavers are the least likely of all major ethnic groups to go on to university.”
https://archive.ph/5rwX8
But why? When alreadyknow that 27 foreigners are hired for each young english person.
And why are white school leavers less likely to go to university?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/01/white-students-in-the-minority-at-27-universities/
And Rachel Reeves and imminent banktupcy are the result…
Did Rachel from Accounts Support ever pass this numeracy test?