§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken, since the coming into effect of the code of the Commission for Racial Equality on 1 April, to ensure compliance by his Department and, in particular, with the recommendations in respect of ethnic monitoring and of positive action, respectively.
§ Mr. GummerMy Department took part in the surveys in the ethnic origins of non-industrial civil servants in the north-west and the county of Avon announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury in his reply to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence) on 24 March 1983, at column 465. We shall consider further action once the results of these surveys have been evaluated. The kind of positive action which the code recommends can be undertaken only where under-representation can be demonstrated. My Department's policies and procedures were reviewed before the code came into effect; additional guidance and instructions have been issued and equal opportunities officers have been designated.