Recommendation 14

Defra told us that the digital, data and technology pay framework, which allowed supplements to be paid based on capability for specific digital roles, helped it to attract digital staff. It expected forthcoming changes to the framework, such as changes to career progression and the breadth of roles covered, to help further recruit the staff it needs. We asked what Defra had done to make the roles as attractive as possible, for example through hybrid working. Defra told us that it had used this for both recruiting those with digital skills, but also in its recruitment more generally. It also explained that it had brought in more junior staff through setting up its own academy and used apprenticeships to provide a pipeline of experienced staff. Defra told us that people often joined the department because they were committed to improving the environment and explained how it actively promoted not just a job vacancy but also the outcome they will deliver, such as protecting and enhancing the environment.30 25 HM Treasury, Treasury Minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty- Seventh to the Thirty-First reports from Session 2021–22, CP 631, February 2022 26 C&AG’s Report, paras 5, 15, 1.23 27 Q 65; Central Digital and Data Office, Transforming for a digital future: 2022 to 2025 roadmap for digital and data, 9 June 2022 28 Qq 58–59 29 Qq 59, 65 30 Qq 59–61 Tackling Defra’s ageing digital services 13 2 Defra’s long-term strategy Defra’s long-term strategy and vision for digital transformation