U.K. unveils plan to promote racial equality

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, FEB. 23. The British Government has unveiled legally enforceable proposals to promote racial equality in State-run institutions such as hospitals, schools and the police even as it was accused this week of trying to suppress a report indicating ``widespread bias'' against ethnic minorities in the civil service.

The proposals come in the wake of growing concern about ``institutional racism'' in many of the Government's own agencies, particularly the police and the prison administration.

One of the most controversial cases, still dominating the news pages, is of an Asian police officer, Sergeant Gurpal Virdi who was dismissed from the metropolitan police force after being wrongly accused of sending racist hate mail to his colleagues. He has been awarded a compensation of £350,000 for being racially discriminated against, and the Met police have apologised him. The Government is said to be concerned that the composition of workforce in public institutions is not sufficiently representative of the ethnic population, with only three per cent of the school teachers, for instance, coming from ethnic groups whereas they account for seven per cent of the population. ``The Government feels it is unsatisfactory that we have no ethnic minority generals or High Court judges,'' a newspaper report said. The move to introduce ``targets'', making it compulsory for employers to have at least a minimum number of ethnic employees, has met with opposition as it is seen as another way of introducing racial quotas. It is argued that merit could suffer if jobs are given solely in order to fill quotas, and could provoke a racial backlash.

In a highly damaging report, The Times reported this week that an independent report commissioned by the Cabinet Office showed that black and Asian civil servants were ``consistently given smaller pay rises than white colleagues.'' It pointed to ``subconscious racial discrimination'' resulting in unfair assessment of their performance and slow promotion. The report, which recommends ``sweeping management changes'' in Whitehall to overcome racial bias, is stated to be so embarrassing that senior civil servants are ``trying to suppress it''.

The new proposals announced by the Home Secretary, Mr. Jack Straw on Thursday would give powers to the Commission for Racial Equality to ensure that all public funded organisations actively promoted racial equality.

The Commission can issue ``compliance'' notice to those who are seen failing the test of ``equal opportunities'' employer and can get the courts to enforce the principle. An elaborate system of monitoring is to be introduced to make the employers accountable.

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Section  : International
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