{"slug": "treasury-scraps-numeracy-tests-in-a-bid-to-attract-more-diverse-graduates", "title": "Treasury scraps numeracy tests 'in a bid to attract more diverse graduates'", "summary": "The UK Treasury scrapped its numeracy test for graduate hires in 2019 to attract more diverse candidates, citing adverse impact on minority applicants. The move, which also removed verbal reasoning tests in 2024, has been criticized as 'ideological nonsense' by Conservative and Reform politicians who argue it undermines meritocracy.", "body_md": "# Treasury scraps numeracy tests 'in a bid to attract more diverse graduates'\n\n**See more Daily Mail on Google -**[save us as a Preferred Source](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=dailymail.com)\n\nThe Treasury has ditched its numeracy test for graduate hires in a bid to attract more diverse candidates.\n\nIn a move branded 'ideological nonsense', it was revealed on Tuesday that Whitehall's economics department had scrapped its mathematical reasoning exam after finding it was having an 'adverse impact'.\n\nThe test had typically demanded that graduates prove they could perform calculations and use data to solve problems when applying for jobs in the Treasury, which controls Britain's purse strings.\n\nIt also expected candidates to complete a verbal reasoning assessment as part of their application process.\n\nBut the department explained that it ditched the maths test in 2019 due to it harming the chances of candidates coming from a wider mix of backgrounds.\n\nIn board minutes seen by The Spectator magazine, the Treasury said it binned the exam as it wanted 'more diverse ethnicity at assessment centres'.\n\nIt added: 'Having two tests creates an additional 'hurdle' for candidates to jump over and another opportunity for candidates to be sifted out of the process.'\n\nAnd it went on to claim, in response to a Freedom of Information request, that 'subsequently, the levels of adverse impact decreased in the 2020 campaign'.\n\nWhitehall, HM Treasury Building at the Corner of Parliament Square and Parliament Street\n\nThe Treasury then removed its verbal reasoning test in 2024 after being advised by an ethnic diversity recruitment specialist that their candidates 'tend to struggle'.\n\nThe replacement 'Civil Service Strengths Test' instead asked graduates whether they agree with statements such as: 'I prefer not to have to concentrate on one thing for too long' or 'it is important for me to exceed expectations when I am given a task to do'.\n\nBoth the Tories and Reform last night railed against the Treasury's 'ideological' pursuit of boosting diversity.\n\nThe Conservatives laid the blame at the door of the Equality Act's duty for public bodies to consider how their decisions impact those with so-called 'protected characteristics'.\n\nTory MP Jack Rankin said: 'Kemi Badenoch has fought against this kind of ideological nonsense for years.\n\n'Under her leadership, the Conservatives will scrap the Public Sector Equality Duty and restore genuine meritocracy.'\n\nAnd Tory peer Lord Frost said the revelations would 'surprise absolutely nobody involved with the Civil Service in recent years'.\n\nHe added: 'Most departments did some version of this. Many Civil Service leaders publicly revelled in the results.'\n\nReform's economics spokesman Robert Jenrick, meanwhile, said: 'If people can't add up, they shouldn't be in the Treasury.'\n\nA Treasury spokesman said: 'It is complete nonsense to suggest that we have lowered our hiring standards for the sake of diversity.'", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/treasury-scraps-numeracy-tests-in-a-bid-to-attract-more-diverse-graduates", "canonical_source": "https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15943077/Treasury-scraps-numeracy-tests-graduates.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490", "published_at": "2026-06-30 23:00:54+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-30 23:52:55.992729+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy"], "entities": ["Treasury", "The Spectator", "Jack Rankin", "Kemi Badenoch", "Lord Frost", "Robert Jenrick", "Reform UK", "Conservative Party"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/treasury-scraps-numeracy-tests-in-a-bid-to-attract-more-diverse-graduates", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/treasury-scraps-numeracy-tests-in-a-bid-to-attract-more-diverse-graduates.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/treasury-scraps-numeracy-tests-in-a-bid-to-attract-more-diverse-graduates.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/treasury-scraps-numeracy-tests-in-a-bid-to-attract-more-diverse-graduates.jsonld"}}