HC Deb 01 March 2000 vol 345 c265W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Prime Minister how many senior civil servants from an ethnic minority background are employed in his office; and how many of them are(a) men and (b) women. [110676]

The Prime Minister

As at 1 April 1999, 55 members of the Senior Civil Service were from ethnic minority background (1.7 per cent.).

Information on ethnic origin in the Civil Service is collected on the understanding that it will be treated on a confidential basis. To protect the privacy of individual members of staff we do not disclose data relating to fewer than five people.

The Cabinet Office monitors ethnicity but not at individual unit level. The Cabinet Office and Number 10, which for these purposes are taken together, have fewer than five people of ethnic minority background in the Senior Civil Service.