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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the public service agreement target for increasing ethnic minority representation in the Home Office and its services. [16927] Angela Eagle: In July 1999 the Home Secretary set recruitment targets for the Home Office and its agencies (Police, Prison, Probation and Fire services{1}). Most of the targets have to be met by 2009. All service areas showed progress from April 2000 to March 2001. The percentage of minority ethnic staff in the core Home Office and Immigration and Nationality Directorate in London and Croydon has risen from 24 per cent. in 2000 to 28.2 per cent. this year, against a target of 25 per cent. set for 2009. The Police, Prison and Fire services are all working towards a target of 7 per cent. minority ethnic staff by 2009. So far they have progressed as follows: (2000 figures in brackets): Police 3.1 per cent. (3 per cent.), Prison 3.7 per cent. (3.2 per cent.), Fire 1.6 per cent. (1.6 per cent.). The Probation Service has increased the percentage of minority ethnic staff in the organisation from 9.3 per cent. to 9.8 per cent. since 2000. Its target for 2009 is 8.3 per cent. The Home Office and its services are working to achieve equal retention rates for white and minority ethnic staff. There is still work to be done, however and some key initiatives are being developed, for example exit interviews, support networks for minority ethnic staff and comprehensive diversity awareness training for management and staff. The Home Secretary's progression targets are expressed in different ways for the different services. Essentially they require that, by 2009, the percentage of minority ethnic staff in each grade is the same as for white staff. For example, the percentage of Senior Probation Officers who are from minority ethnic groups rose from 5.6 per cent. to 8.0 per cent. last year. The first minority ethnic Chief Officer in the Probation Service was appointed. The second annual report on targets was published on 14 November and is available in the Library. {1} The Fire Service is no longer under the remit of the Home Office following the post General Election machinery of Government changes. Responsibility now rests with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

16927; 375 c816W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Executive agencies Equality Government departments Ethnic groups Home Office Minority groups Standards Public service agreements

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk