§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he has taken, since the coming into effect of the code of the Commission for Racial Equality on 1 April, to ensure compliance by his Department and, in particular, with the recommendations in respect of ethnic monitoring and of positive action, respectively.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerMy Department's policies and procedures were re-examined before the code of the Commission for Racial Equality became operative, and additional guidance and instructions have been issued. An equal opportunity officer has been designated within the Department. My Department took part in the surveys of the ethnic origins of non-industrial civil servants in the north-west and the county of Avon announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury in the House on 24 March 1983 at column 461. We shall consider further action once the results of these surveys have been evaluated. The kind of positive action the code recommends can only be undertaken where under-representation can be demonstrated.