Government has appointed four diversity experts to help increase numbers of people from under-represented groups in the civil service workforce.

A statement from the Cabinet Office revealed the new advisers would work to challenge policies, as well as advising ministers and civil service leaders. 

The advisers are Stephen Frost, who from 2014 to 2015 was head of diversity and inclusion at professional services firm KPMG, and Karen Blackett, chief executive of media agency MediaCom UK, who has featured five times in the Power List of Britain’s 100 Most Influential Black People. 

Also appointed are Lord Holmes of Richmond, who was director of Paralympic integration for the London 2012 Olympics, and Helena Morrissey, CEO of Newton Investment Management and founder of the 30% Club, which campaigns to raise the number of women on boards.

According to the government’s most recent statistics, while women make up 53.3% of the civil service workforce, just 37.9% of senior civil service professionals are female.

The stats also reveal 10.1% of civil service workers are from an ethnic minority and just 4% of those hold senior roles.

Disabled people are even more poorly represented, comprising only 8.8% of the civil service workforce, with 3.4% holding senior positions.

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