Civil service numerical and verbal reasoning test scores by ethnicity

Cabinet Office did not have the information requested.

Dear The Cabinet Office,

I would like the test score data that underlies the following report, "Socio-economic diversity in the Fast Stream: the Bridge report". https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/uk...

Specifically, I am interested in the scores on the online numerical and verbal reasoning civil service tests by ethnicity. The research report notes:

"We also see a small link for ethnicity on the verbal and numerical online test, where more candidates who identified as ‘white’ achieve higher scores, this is more pronounced in the verbal online test (r=.216) compared to the numerical online test (r=.107). "

I would like the means and standard deviations by specific ethnicity (e.g., Indian, Chinese, Black African, etc.).

Yours faithfully,

John Fuerst

FOI Team Mailbox, Cabinet Office

CABINET OFFICE REFERENCE:  FOI328540

Dear John Fuerst

Thank you for your request for information. Your request was received on
04/09/2019 and we are considering if it is appropriate to deal with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

This email is just a short acknowledgement of your request.

When corresponding with the Cabinet Office, you may wish to be aware of
how we treat your personal Information.  This is set out in our personal
information charter, at the following
link: [1]https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...

If you have any queries about this email, please contact the FOI team.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

Yours sincerely,

 Knowledge and Information Management Unit

Cabinet Office

E: [2][Cabinet Office request email]

References

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2. mailto:[email address]

FOI Team Mailbox, Cabinet Office

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Please find attached the reply to your FOI request

 

 

 

Regards

 

 

FOI Team

Room 405

70 Whitehall,

London, SW1A 2AS

E-mail -[1][Cabinet Office request email] 

References

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Dear FOI Team Mailbox
& Dear Tristan Pedelty

I received the following reply:

"I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the Cabinet Office. Candidates’ personal data within the application process is securely deleted by the end of the recruitment campaign (within 12 months) in accordance with our stated retention period. The historic data recorded in the published Bridge report reflects 2016 information which is not held. "

The data I specifically requested was the 2011-2015 data analyzed in the 2016 bridge report. On page 65, the report clearly says:

"The figure below shows how the primary background variables are associated with outcomes on the online tests using aggregated data from the five years (2011-2015). For verbal and numerical scores there is a small correlation with SEB but for the online competency questionnaire, no observable effect size was reached."

It can not be true that the "historic data recorded in the published Bridge report reflects 2016 information" since it clearly says that it was 2011-2015 data. And this data clearly was NOT deleted within 12 months otherwise there would not have been 2011 data to analyze in 2016.

I would like you to determine if the "The Bridge Group" still has the data file. And If I can obtain it or the results requested. The contact is:

The Bridge Group
c/o King’s College London
57 Waterloo Rd
London
SE1 8WA
Email: [email address]

Yours sincerely,

John Fuerst

FOI Team Mailbox, Cabinet Office

Dear John

Thank you for your email.  The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a
right of access to recorded information that already exists. It does not
require public authorities to create new information in order to respond
to a request nor does is require public authorities seek it from outside
organisations. You may wish to try contacting the department you have
mentioned yourself.

Hope this is of help.

FOI Team

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