§ Lord Drumalbynasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have taken a decision on future ethnic surveys in the Civil Service.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Arts (The Earl of Gowrie)The Government have decided to follow the ethnic surveys undertaken in the North West and County of Avon with surveys of all remaining non-industrial staff in a phased programme during 1985–88. The first stage of the programme will cover all non-industrial staff in the East and West Midlands later this year. All new entrants to the Civil Service will also be covered as soon as the necessary arrangemens can be made. Separate arrangements are being worked out for industrial staff. Consideration wil be given to further monitoring of recruitment schemes in the light of the results of the recruitment surveys undertaken last year in the North West and County of Avon; the data from these surveys are now being analysed and we expect to publish the report in the spring.