HC Deb 20 April 1982 vol 22 c72W
Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the Metropolitan Police categorises in its statistics those individuals of mixed ethnic origins.

Mr. Mayhew

[pursuant to his reply, 17 March 1982, c. 108]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that statistics of ethnic appearance collected by the Metropolitan Police are based on the visual assessment, which forms part of the general description of individuals recorded for operational purposes. Persons, including those of mixed ethnic origin, are classified according to the category which most closely describes their appearance.