§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will conduct research into the levels of educational achievement attained by different ethnic groups.
§ Mr. Robin SquireResearch evidence is already available on the levels of educational achievement attained by different ethnic groups. The reasons why some groups achieve better than others were examined in detail by the former Swann committee of inquiry into the education of children from ethnic minority groups. Lord Swann concluded that there would be little to be gained in studying the causes further and that the focus should now be on efforts to counter underachievement. The Government have been doing this, through a variety of measures to raise the educational achievement of all pupils, whatever their ethnic background.