§ Mr. Jannerasked the Minister for the Civil Service what stage has been reached in each of his surveys of the ethnic origin of non-industrial civil servants in the northeast and county of Avon, respectively; and what other surveys are planned or have started among civil servants in other parts of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe ethnic surveys of serving civil servants in the north-west and in Avon started in November 1983. The results should be available in the spring. Sample monitoring of recruitment schemes will not start until the spring, when the main bulk of recruitment takes place. We will need to decide how to proceed once the results of these surveys are known.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Minister of Civil Service what consideration he has given to the monitoring necessary for compliance with the Commission for Racial Equality's code and in particular its recommendations concerning ethnic monitoring and positive action, respectively, from 1 April
§ Mr. HayhoeAs the hon. and learned Member knows, we are at present holding surveys of the ethnic origin of non-industrial civil servants in the north- west economic planning region and the county of Avon. Some recruitment schemes in both areas will also be monitored starting in the spring. We shall want to see the results of these surveys before we decide what to do next. We have kept closely in touch with the Commission for Racial Equality, whose code of practice has been circulated to all Departments drawing their attention to its provisions and to the date it comes into operation. The kind of positive action it recommends can be undertaken only where under-representation can be demonstrated.