§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the monitoring of recruitment in respect of ethnic minorities was introduced in his Department; and where and by whom.
§ Mrs. CurrieRecruitment monitoring was introduced throughout the Department in July 1987 and is conducted by designated equal opportunities officers.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services by what means managers in his Department are encouraged to utilise all possible advertising outlets to attract, in particular, applicants in minority groups; what 525W advertisements were placed in the ethnic minority press and radio; which local ethnic employment groups were consulted; when and by whom; and with what results.
§ Mrs. CurrieGuidance for managers on recruitment and ethnic monitoring of job applicants was issued in July 1987. The guidance emphasises the importance of liaison with local community groups, particularly the community relations officer and representatives of ethnic minority groups, when running local recruitment exercises. A central record of recruitment advertising is not kept, but the Department has used a variety of outlets to attract applications from ethnic minority groups including
contact with community relations officers, employment agencies and ethnic community leaders;advertising in local press, including free press;advertising in the London area in ethnic minority press such as The Voice, Asian Times, Caribbean Times and New Life. In 1987 three advertisements placed in Asian Times, The Voice and New Life (circulations 19,000, 38,000 and 40,000) produced 13, 87 and four applications respectively.