HC Deb 13 June 1984 vol 61 cc911-2
17. Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that ethnic minorities are not under-represented in his Department.

Sir George Young

No information is currently available about the proportion of ethnic minority staff in the Department as a whole. However, surveys are now being carried out in all Departments with offices in the north-west and Avon. I shall review the position when the results are available.

Mr. Janner

Is the Minister's failure to require his own Department to implement the recommendations of the Commission for Racial Equality on ethnic monitoring deliberate, or due to the fact that he does not care whether ethnic minorities are represented in his Department?

Sir George Young

If the hon. and learned Gentleman is referring to the CRE's code of practice, which has been approved by Parliament and came into effect on 1 April, I should tell him that the Department and the rest of the Civil Service carry out those recommendations.

Mr. Forth

Will my hon. Friend ensure that, in order to achieve efficient and effective Government, such things as merit and qualifications are fully taken into account when recruiting people to the public service?

Sir George Young

Yes, of course.

Mr. Favell

Is my hon. Friend satisfied that the ethnic minorities are not under-represented in the parliamentary Labour party?

Sir George Young

Happily, I have no parliamentary or ministerial responsibility for the activities of the Labour party.

Mr. Bill Walker

Is my hon. Friend aware that Scots represent 10 per cent. of the United Kingdom population, and that in the past they have usually enjoyed more than 10 per cent. of Government posts and jobs? Can he confirm that the Scots will not be disadvantaged in future because of the advantage that they have enjoyed in the past?

Sir George Young

I am not sure that the Scots are an ethnic minority.

Dr. Cunningham

Is it not important, in a plural society, to demonstrate to black and ethnic communities that their problems are being properly considered and understood, and, given that so many of the inner city authorities where their problems are so outstanding are under attack from the Government because of their expenditure programmes, is it not sad that the hon. Gentleman cannot be more specific about his Department's role in this matter, and should not the Secretary of State do something about it quickly?

Sir George Young

My Department has undertaken a number of initiatives in the past two years to tackle the problems facing the ethnic minorities. In March I and my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Home Office, the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Waddington) chaired a conference at Church house of all the local authorities with ethnic minorities to discuss the report about local authorities and racial disadvantage. We have taken a number of initiatives through the urban programme to make sure that ethnic minorities get a fairer share of the available resources. If the hon. Gentleman looks at the record, he will see that the Government have done more in this regard than their predecessors.

Mr. Janner

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.