§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken since the coming into effect of the 591W 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. RidleyMy 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 column461. We shall consider further action, once the results of these surveys have been evaluated. The kind of positive action the code recommends can be undertaken only where under-representation can be demonstrated. My Department's policies and procedures were reviewed before the CRE's code of practice became operative. An equal opportunity officer has also been designated within my Department.