§ Ms. AbbottTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to being about an increase in the numbers of black people applying to join the prison service.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggRecent advertising campaigns have specifically highlighted the need for recruits from the ethnic minorities, and recruitment material emphasises the service's commitment to racial equality. In addition, several initiatives have been taken to improve contacts with ethnic minority groups to explain the work of the prison service, and these will continue.
§ Ms. AbbottTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that boards of visitors comment on race relations in their annual reports.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggAdvice on the format and content of annual reports, which specifically lists race relations as an item for comment, was reissued on 21 December to all board chairmen in anticipation of the preparation of reports for 1988.