HC Deb 27 July 1999 vol 336 cc275-6W
Jackie Ballard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has established a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on equal treatment. [93458]

Mr. Straw

Yes. Targets are being set for the recruitment, promotion, and retention of ethnic minority staff directly employed by my Department, and in respect of services for which my Department has oversight, including the police, prison service, fire service, and probation service.

'Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment', published by the Cabinet Office, the Home Office, the Department for Education and Employment and the Women's Unit in November 1998, has been circulated to all senior managers at Grade seven level and above within my Department to ensure that the effects of any policy changes on all sections of the population are considered at the earliest stage of policy development.