HC Deb 24 January 1996 vol 270 cc262-3W
Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 December,Official Report, column 966, against whom a case was brought by the Commission for Racial Equality on the basis that the ethnic profile of employees was such as to be inconsistent with appointments made purely on merit; if he will indicate in that case the percentage of employees who were from (a) white European and (b) ethnic minority backgrounds; and if he will make a statement of the implications of that case for (i) employers generally and (ii) the Commission for Racial Equality in particular, which employs high percentages of its work force from the ethnic minorities. [11048]

Mr. Kirkhope

My reply of 18 December 1995,Official Report, column 966, was incorrectly printed and should have read: None of the cases brought or supported by the commission against employers in the last year was on the basis that the ethnic profile of its employees was such as to be inconsistent with appointments made purely on merit. Information on whether such a profile has been a significant factor in other cases could be obtained only at disproportionate cost".

Arrangements have already been made to amend the bound volume of the Official Report.

Mrs. Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy in future to appoint to the Commission for Racial Equality such members that its ethnic profile broadly reflects that of the United Kingdom as a whole. [11046]

Mr. Kirkhope

We believe that it is desirable for the 15 members of the Commission for Racial Equality to be drawn from a broad range of communities in the United Kingdom and we shall continue to take this into account when making appointments.

Mrs. Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 December,Official Report, column 965, if he will require the Commission for Racial Equality in future to record the ethnic background both of complainants and of those against whom the complaint is made. [11047]

Mr. Kirkhope

The Commission for Racial Equality already monitors the ethnic origin of complainants. It is not practicable to monitor the ethnic origin of those against whom the complaint is made as these will usually be organisations rather than individuals.