HC Deb 22 February 2000 vol 344 cc889-91W
Mr. Crausby

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department. [102736]

Mr. Wills

The percentage of the work force in my Department who, at 1 April 1999, declared themselves to be of ethnic minority origin is 8.3 per cent.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office set out in her reply of 16 December 1999, Official Report, column 264W, corporate action that we are taking to encourage the employment of people from ethnic minority communities. We are developing a comprehensive outreach strategy which, for example includes contacting all organisations that help people from ethnic minorities into employment and establishing what further steps we should be taking to attract and retain people from ethnic minority backgrounds, this includes: Marketing the Department to applicants from ethnic minority communities by placing adverts in ethnic press; taking part in recruitment fairs aimed at ethnic minority graduates and undergraduates; and also making contact with over 100 ethnic minority organisations to research the barriers that prevent people from ethnic minority backgrounds joining the civil service.

In June 1998 the Department appointed a Senior Equal Opportunities Adviser from outside the Department to work with staff and advise the Board on how to take forward equal opportunities in the Department.

Moreover, in July 1999, we published a Race Equality Action Plan—"Race Equality in DfEE: Our Targets for the Future". This sets out targets for representation at senior management level (Grade 7 and above) grades in the Department. It includes action to improve the recruitment, career progression and retention of ethnic minority staff.

The launch of a unique and high profile secondment/exchange initiative—aimed to encourage experienced, senior ethnic minority managers from other organisations to join us on secondments or exchanges. The initial response to this national exercise was high. We will currently be shortlisting the names of successful candidates from the first tranche of applicants and the first successful candidate will start his post on 10 January 2000.

By providing opportunities for students to work with us on short term placement, for example we have increased the number of Windsor Fellowship graduates that we sponsor. The Department will continue to take measures which increase the numbers of people from ethnic minorities who are recruited, retained and promoted in the organisation.

Mr. Crausby

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is registered as disabled; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people in his Department. [102047]

Ms Hodge

The percentage of the work force in my Department who have identified themselves as having a disability under the definition contained in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is 6 per cent.

Our recruitment strategy includes contacting all organisations that help people with disabilities into employment. We are examining what other steps we should take to attract people with disabilities in recruitment exercises.

My Department has for a number of years used the Disability Symbol on all recruitment exercises. This employment initiative guarantees a person with a disability an interview as long as they meet the minimum criteria for that particular recruitment exercise. We are also members of the SCOPE fast track programme which provides personal development training and work placements for graduate level people with disabilities.

In addition, as part of the Department's Equal Opportunities Strategy, an Advisory Group for People with Disabilities was established in 1996. This group advises the DfEE Board on any issue which affects people with disabilities including recruitment, retention and awareness raising.

My Department will continue to take measures to increase the numbers of people with disabilities who are recruited and to ensure that the retention of people with disabilities is a priority within the organisation.