§ 30. Mr. Bidwellasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what proposals she has to ensure that coloured workers obtain equality of opportunity in obtaining work in new areas of industry.
§ Mrs. CastleMy Department is making continuous efforts to extend employment opportunities for coloured people through its employment services, training at G.T.C.s, the language courses which industrial training boards have been invited to sponsor and through the Regional Advisory Service on Race Relations.
§ Mr. BidwellI thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. Will she not agree that, since investigations have shown that in areas in which coloured workers are to be found there is far less prejudice than elsewhere because people are beginning to be evaluated as human beings, these opportunities will go a long way towards getting the British working people as a whole to realise that people should be assessed as people, not by ethnic origin or colour of skin?
§ Mrs. CastleI entirely agree with my hon. Friend about the importance of widening employment opportunities for coloured workers. I know the interest he takes in this subject as a member of the Select Committee. That is why, despite the successful efforts which we have made, my Department has set up a working group to consider what further measures can be taken to widen employment opportunities still more.