§ Mr. VazTo ask the Prime Minister what guidance he has issued to government departments concerning the recruitment and retention of Black and Asian staff. [21870]
§ The Prime MinisterRecruitment to the Civil Service is based on the fundamental principle that appointments must be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
The programme for Action to achieve equality of opportunity in the Civil Service for ethnic minority people includes guidance for Departments and Agencies about recruitment and retention. The guidance is intended to ensure that selection criteria and procedures are applied fairly and consistently to all applicants.