§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to encourage more women of Asian heritage to join the police. [148941]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeIt is the responsibility of individual chief officers of police to recruit the right people to serve in their forces. It is important for the police service to reflect the communities which it serves, and to help them achieve this my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has set all forces recruitment targets for minority ethnic officers. Useful advice to forces in relation to black and Asian women is contained in research recently published by the Home Office into attitudes of people from minority ethnic communities towards a career in the police service.