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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Mans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the report of the Office for Public Management on ethnic minority employment initiatives in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [21673] Mr. Soames: I have today placed a copy of the Office for Public Management report in the Library of the House. The report covers a six-month review of both service and MOD civilian recruitment practices and makes a number of recommendations which have now been considered within my Department. We accept the broad thrust of the report. While there are different messages for the armed forces and the MOD civil service in what the consultants found, there is much common ground, primarily concerning the development of goals in which ethnic diversity is a central theme. It is clear that, while some advances have been made, more can and should be undertaken, if the Department is to see an increase in the numbers of ethnic minority personnel employed in both the armed forces and the civil service in MOD. My Department is committed to reflecting more closely the ethnic balance of the United Kingdom. This is an issue which must be met positively and which requires unambiguous leadership from those at the top of the armed forces and the civil service to ensure that, in the armed forces and MOD, all can work and realise their full potential without fear of racial prejudice, discrimination or harassment. All personnel have responsibilities for ensuring that greater efforts are made to remove any unacceptable attitudes and must, individually, play their part in ensuring that the Department and the services are seen by all as organisations in which racial equality is fully embraced.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

21673; 292 c858-9W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Armed forces Civil service Equality Ethnic groups Recruitment Minority groups Ministry of Defence Office for Public Management