§ 1. Mr. Ben Chapman (Wirral, South)What his plans are for encouraging the recruitment of ethnic minorities to the civil service. [90870]
§ The Minister for the Cabinet Office (Dr. Jack Cunningham)The "Modernising Government" White Paper set out the Government's commitment to increasing ethnic minority representation in the civil service, particularly at senior levels. The Government have set a target to double the number of senior civil servants from ethnic minority backgrounds to 3.2 per cent. by 2005.
§ Mr. ChapmanI am grateful for that response and I congratulate the Government on their announcements. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is not just in the higher civil service that there is a problem and that we need fair representation of ethnic minorities at all levels in the civil service? This issue should be tackled now, not just by the target year. We must take a systemic, root-and-branch approach to get people from ethnic minorities into the civil service and to change the climate so as to attract them. Will my right hon. Friend tell me what is being done now by way of secondment, recruitment policy and attachment from industry to change the climate in the public services to attract more people from ethnic minorities into their orbit?
§ Dr. CunninghamI agree with everything my hon. Friend said. In truth, the performance of the civil service on the recruitment and promotion of people from ethnic communities has been poor, and the situation is unsatisfactory. That is why we have set that target but, as my hon. Friend will know, we are not simply setting a target and doing nothing else. We have announced a number of interim measures, and we shall announce further measures in the autumn. In the meantime, I shall appoint a senior ethnic minority adviser and an outreach worker to help to increase recruitment and secondment. We shall provide new opportunities for work experience for ethnic minority school children and students. We shall hold open days and careers fairs for ethnic minority undergraduates and young people. We are producing a video of ethnic minority role models already in the civil service. We are taking all those measures to attract more able young people from ethnic minority communities into the public service.
§ Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet)As I am sure that the Government want to set an example in this area, will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House how many special advisers to Ministers are drawn from ethnic minorities?
§ Dr. CunninghamI cannot give an accurate answer to that question off the top of my head. I suspect that there may be none, but I am not altogether sure so I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and let him know.
§ Mr. Piara S. Khabra (Ealing, Southall)Does my right hon. Friend agree that some employees are still not 1172 prepared to accept the new policy? If they continue the practice of discrimination, what steps does he propose to take against them?
§ Dr. CunninghamI hope that there are no individuals in the civil service who do not subscribe to the Government's clear policy objectives in these matters. However, the Schneider Ross report, which I published a couple of weeks ago, emphasised the need for a culture change in the senior management of the civil service, and we are taking action with the help and strong personal commitment of the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Richard Wilson, to make the necessary changes in the civil service at all levels.