§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make the gathering of information on ethnic origins compulsory, and publish the percentage of entrants to his Department who failed to respond to the ethnic origins questionnaire.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerSurveys of the ethnic origins of staff in post and new entrants to my Department are being carried out on the basis of voluntary self-classification.240W This is in accordance with arrangements agreed between the Management and Personnel Office and the Council of Civil Service Unions.
Of the new entrants to my Department during the period 1 October 1985 to 1 February 1987, 14 per cent. failed to respond to the ethnic origins questionnaire.
Results of the surveys carried out in my Department will be included in the reports to be published by the Management and Personnel Office. I have no plans to publish figures for my Department separately.