§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of officers in each grade (1–7) and overall in the Department are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.
§ Mr. LeighThe figures as at 28 February 1991 are:
Grade Number Percentage (a) Women G1 Nil — G2 Nil — G3 4 7.5 G4 2 25.0 G5 29 14.0 G6 19 10.4 G7 116 12.9 All staff 5,795 44.6 (b) Ethnic minorities (from 87 per cent. response to survey) G1–4 Nil — G5 2 1.0 G6 5 2.7 G7 17 1.9 All staff 1,180 9.1
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at his Department.
§ Mr. LeighOn those few occasions when the DTI recruits senior grades directly, the Department makes clear in its advertisements that it is an equal opportunity employer. Normally, however, the Civil Service Commission conducts recruitment to senior grades on the Department's behalf. The commission has taken a number of measures to aid recruitment of members of the ethnic minorities. It has, for example, increased representation of ethnic minorities in liaison and selection panels, and appointed an Asian woman as a part-time commissioner.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origins of its employees; when it next plans to do so; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeighA voluntary ethnic survey of DTI staff was completed in April 1988, and the resulting database is continuously updated. There is a current positive response rate of 87 per cent. As part of this Department's programme of action on race we intend, in 1991–92, to examine again the ethnic origin database to establish whether an improvement in the response rate is possible.