Wanted: Middle aged mothers to spy for MI5 (f lexible hours available)
IT IS a long way from the James Bond stereotype of the rugged, muscular middle-aged philanderer-cum-spy.
But Britain’s security and intelligence agencies are targeting middle-aged women, mothers and ‘ mid- career women’ to work on the frontline against foreign espionage and terrorism.
Ministers have demanded more ‘diversity’ in MI5, MI6 and GCHQ because, they say, women can bring new skills to the fight against threats at home and abroad.
And now the agencies have responded, offering ‘flexible working’ and appointing ‘gender diversity champions’ to encourage more females to sign up.
The steps were revealed yesterday in the Government’s response to recommendations by MPs about women in the intelligence community, which included advertising job vacancies on the Mumsnet website.
The measures were endorsed by David Cameron, who said diversity ‘will result in a better response to the range of threats that we face to our national security’.
The report revealed that the Security Service, MI5, which is responsible for countering terrorism and threats at home, has a ‘gender diversity target’. It wants women to make up 45 per cent of staff by 2021. In the last financial year, 46 per cent of new employees were women, a rise from 29 per cent only six years ago.
Nearly 42 per cent of all staff at the agency are women.
SIS, the Secret Intelligence Service, which operates overseas and is the fictional home of 007 and ‘M’, also has a ‘Diversity and Inclusion Plan’ and a gender equality group called DEUCE.
MI6 is also rewarding officers who ‘demonstrate inclusivity’. Some 41 per cent of new recruits to the agency were women last year.
The report said: ‘SIS have ensured that women are equally represented on senior leadership development schemes.’
‘SIS has also begun to recognise and reward officers who demonstrate inclusivity and is publicising this across the organisation.’
At GCHQ, the government listening station based in Cheltenham, there is a Diversity Steering Group and a Women’s Network. The report added: ‘Over the past year, the agencies have worked to ensure that all women and particularly those with children can pursue their desired career path. Women successfully fill posts in all work spheres including frontline intelligence and operational roles.
‘The agencies have all taken further steps to promote a flexible working culture, including for women and men with childcare commitments.
‘SIS has mandated that flexible working is the default position for all UK-based roles unless there is an exceptional reason not to.’
In a statement, the Prime Minister said the three agencies have ‘increased their focus on all aspects of diversity, and have taken concrete steps to attract, encourage, and support women.’
He added: ‘Diversity strengthens our public sector organisations. Ensuring the agencies reflect the country they serve will be essential in enabling them to respond to the complex threats we face.’