Mr. Arthur Lewis asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether she will take whatever action may be open to her to ensure that within Government Departments and the Civil Service generally and the higher ranks in particular there is a percentage of persons from the various ethnic groups employed on the same percentage basis as the relevant national figure.

Mr. Hayhoe: Recruitment to and advancement in the Civil Service are on the basis of merit alone and the Government are determined that the established equal opportunity policies of the Civil Service with regard to race are rigorously applied. It is unlawful to discriminate in favour of ethnic minority groups in recruitment or promotion under the terms of the Race Relations Act 1976.