§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on available Manpower Services Commission assistance to ethnic minorities.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Manpower Services Commission's policy is to make its services available equally to all, regardless of ethnic origin, sex or disability. Programmes are mounted specifically for ethnic minorities where they have special needs, such as language training, or where they are under-represented in particular skills or occupations. The Manpower Services Commission monitors the participation of ethnic minorities in most of its programmes and will shortly monitor their participation in the remaining programmes, in order to find out whether they are under-represented. I hope to consider soon with the MSC ways by which we might increase the effectiveness of our programmes in inner city areas and amongst ethnic minorities.