§ Mr. MurphyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of individuals from ethnic minorities serving in each regiment and corps in the Army giving the figures for each rank. [30987]
§ Mr. SoamesThis information is not currently available. However, in accordance with the joint action plan between the Army and the Commission for Racial Equality announced on 28 March 1996, the Army is currently undertaking a detailed survey of the ethnic composition of the Army. Classification will be in accordance with the CRE guidelines. It is intended that the results of this survey will be available by the end of the year and that the data will provide the means by which the Army will monitor the success of its equal opportunities policies. It should, at that time, be possible to derive figures about the distribution of ethnic minorities by both rank and capbadge through the Army.