§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many instances of racial discrimination in employment in the Metropolitan police service were dealt with under their disciplinary procedures in(a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96 and with what outcomes, broken down by ethnic origin of alleged victim and perpetrator; [27871]
(2) what was the total number of complaints of racial discrimination in (a) employment made by police officers against the Metropolitan police service in 1994–95 and 1995–96; (b) and how many were dealt with and disposed of at (i) the informal stage, (ii) following a formal complaint under the internal grievance procedure and (iii) following an application to an industrial tribunal indicating for (i) to (iii) (1) the types of complaint, (2) their outcomes including the terms of any settlements and disciplinary action taken and (3) the time taken to deal with them from receipt to disposal, broken down by (A) gender and (B) ethnic origin of complainant. [27870]
§ Mr. MacleanI understand from the commissioner that there are no instances of racial discrimination in employment in the Metropolitan police recorded by the complaints investigation bureau or personnel management branch between 1994 and the present. The commissioner informs me that there were 17 allegations of race discrimination dealt with under the Metropolitan police internal grievance procedure in 1994, one in 1995 and none so far in 1996. The informal stage of this procedure was not introduced until 1 April 1996. All these allegations were made by male officers. The results of such cases were not recorded centrally until 1995. The one case for that year was resolved, but, in accordance with the grievance procedure, results are confidential. The ethnic origin of the complainant, the types of complaint made and the time taken to deal with these complaints are not recorded centrally, although the Metropolitan police sets a standard for dealing with all grievance procedure within seven weeks.
As regards cases taken to industrial tribunal, there are no figures available for 1994. Since 1995, there have been 15 cases which involved an allegation of racial discrimination within the Metropolitan police. Of these, two were withdrawn and two have been settled, the details of which are confidential. The remaining 11 are still to be resolved. Six of the complainants were female and nine male. The ethnic origin of the complainant, the time taken to deal with the cases and the types of allegations are not recorded centrally.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made to date by the Metropolitan police service in implementing the equal opportunities strategy developed in 1994. [27872]
§ Mr. MacleanI understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that results so far include the creation of a positive action team within the Metropolitan police's personnel department, which concentrates on158W boosting recruitment from ethnic minorities; more recruitment advertising in minority press; regular meetings between police and representatives of minority groups; the inclusion of equal opportunities issues in all management development training courses; and the introduction of a new grievance procedure. A steering committee chaired by the Metropolitan police's director of personnel oversees these initiatives, and a revised equal opportunities statement will be published shortly by the Commissioner.