§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the reply of 26 April, Official Report, column 596., by whom his Department's policies and procedures were reviewed before the Commission for Racial Equality's Code of Practice became operative; and when and to whom additional guidance and instructions were issued.
§ Mr. PattieThe review of policies and procedures in the MOD was part of a Civil Service wide review which began in September 1982 arising from the fifth report from the Home Affairs Committee (Session 1980–81) (Racial disadvantage). The review was conducted by the Cabinet Office (management and personnel office), which published its findings and recommendations as a report in December 1983. A copy of the report was placed in the House of Commons Library.
At that time, within the MOD copies of the report were issued to personnel management authorities for guidance on ways of avoiding racial discrimination and as a basis for amending, where necessary, their procedures to accord with the recommendations. In February 1984 copies of the CRE code of practice were issued for guidance to personnel management authorities. Plans have been made for the Civil Service race relations policy statement to be published for the information of all staff in the Department next month.