§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many senior civil servants from an ethnic minority background are employed in his Department; and how many of them are(a) men and (b) women. [110680]
§ Mr. StrawAs at 1 April 1999, five members of the senior civil service were from an ethnic minority background (3 per cent). These staff were all men. I am committed to increasing the level of representation and, as part of the Modernisation of Government agenda, targets have been published to cover recruitment, progression and retention of ethnic minority staff at all254W grades within the Home Office. There are also separate senior civil service targets for women. The Government are committed to meeting these targets.