§ Mr. Ernest G. Perryasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether a decision has yet been made on who should lead the inquiry into the education of children from ethnic minority groups which the Government announced in last year's White Paper"The West Indian Community "; and if she will make a statement.
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§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsI am pleased to say that Mr. Anthony Rampton, who is the chairman of Freemans Limited and a trustee of the Runnymede Trust, has recently accepted my invitation to lead an independent inquiry. As the White Paper—Cmnd. 7186—indicated, the inquiry will cover the educational attainments and needs of children from all ethnic minority groups, but early attention will be given to pupils of West Indian origin. It will also be concerned with the educational preparation of all pupils for life in a multiracial society. My Department will shortly be seeking the views of interested bodies on the inquiry's exact terms of reference.