§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of unemployment among members of ethnic minority groups; and if he will make a statement. [103248]
§ Ms Jowell[holding answer 21 December 1999]: Figures from the Labour Force Survey are as follows:
174W
Employment Level (thousand) Rate (percentage) Change in rate over last year percentage points All — — — White 26,200 75.6 +0.8 All ethnic minority groups 1,350 58.3 +2.0 Black 400 62.8 +1.7 Indian 420 68.0 +2.9 Pakistani/Bangladeshi 220 40.8 +0.9 Chinese 60 55.6 +5.6 Other origins 255 60.2 +1.6
ILO unemployment Level (thousand) Rate (percentage) Change in rate over last year percentage points All — — — White 1,600 5.7 -0.4 All ethnic minority groups 200 13.3 -0.8 Black 75 15.5 -0.2 Indian 40 8.7 +0.2 Pakistani/Bangladeshi 55 19.5 -4.6 Chinese 1— 1— 1— Other origins 35 12.6 -1.6 1 Sample size too small for reliable estimate Note:
Figures are for summer 1999, not seasonally adjusted
The unemployment rate among ethnic minority groups is unacceptably high but is improving. The Government are committed to ensuring that this improvement continues and are working with key partners on a range of measures to bring about equality of opportunity in the labour market for all groups in society.
The Department's Race Relations Employment Advisory Service (RREAS) provides a free advice and consultancy service to employers to help develop and implement equal opportunity policies and practices for racial equality among the work force. The Department also publishes a range of guidance to promote racial equality in employment including "Equal Opportunities—Ten Point Plan for Employers".
The Department is working with others, including the Commission for Racial Equality, to promote the message to employers that racial diversity in the workplace is essential for good business practice. The Department has also recently established a new strategic race advisory body called the Race Education and Employment Forum. Its remit is to consider and advise Ministers on matters relating to the progress of ethnic minorities in education, employment and training.
The Department has recently led the work of the Policy Action Team on Jobs, whose members included officials from a number of Government Departments, as well as external organisations. It was asked to develop an action plan to reduce the difference between levels of worklessness in poor neighbourhoods and the national average, and within that to reduce the disproportionate unemployment rates for people from ethnic minorities. The PAT's report was published last month and its recommendations will be considered as part of the Social Exclusion Unit's work developing a national strategy for neighbourhood renewal.
The Department has also commissioned research into a wide range of aspects of the labour market experience of ethnic minority groups, including the transition from education to work, adult learning among ethnic minorities and the education and labour market position of young black men.