§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide a breakdown, in numerical and percentage terms, of the ethnic origin, at 1 March, of(a) his private office, (b) Government special advisers, (c) his Policy Unit and (d) staff in total. [78506]
§ Mr. Byers(a) On 1 March 1999, the DTI employed 71 staff in Private Offices and Parliamentary and Correspondence Sections, of whom 15 were known to be of ethnic minority origin (i.e. 21 per cent.).
(b) I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 February 1999, Official Report, column 39.
(c) The Department does not have a separate Policy Unit.
(d) My right hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will provide information in a written answer shortly.