The Treasury scrapped a numerical exam from its graduate scheme in a bid to improve diversity, it has emerged. In 2020, shortly after the death of George Floyd, the government department, now headed by Rachel Reeves, quietly removed the numeracy test from its application process due to suggestions it had an “adverse impact” on candidate diversity. Whitehall also complained about “extremely high benchmarks”, which led the Treasury to drop verbal reasoning exams. The “Civil Service Strengths Test” was then implemented by bosses. It asked candidates whether they “prefer not to have to concentrate on one thing for too long”. Fury has erupted after The Spectator obtained the documents, which have been described as “insane”. In Freedom of Information requests obtained by the magazine, The Spectator reported that the Treasury had concluded that its policy adviser graduate programme was not diverse enough, after a review of its 2019 scheme. The review recommended removing the numeracy test. Since the measure in 2020, the diversity of candidates who passed the application process has subsequently increased. It has been …