HC Deb 19 May 1999 vol 331 cc397-8W
21. Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made in recruiting and retaining black and Asian civil servants in higher grades. [83662]

Mr. Kilfoyle

Black and Asian Civil Servants make up 5.7 per cent. of the Civil Service overall and 1.6 per cent. of the Senior Civil Service. The Government are committed to redressing under-representation in the higher grades and we are actively working to recruit and retain ethnic minorities at all levels in the Civil Service.

We have recently launched with Civil Service Trade Unions, a joint Charter to address under-representation of ethnic minorities at senior levels.

We have also set targets that by the year 2004–05, 3.2 per cent. of the Senior Civil Service will be from ethnic minority backgrounds.