MINORITY ETHNIC EMPLOYMENT

Early day motion 1706, tabled 11 October 2004 by Harry Cohen (Labour). Signed by 52 members.

That this House notes the data from the annual Labour Force Survey recently published by the Office for National Statistics which shows that for the period March 2002 to February 2003 just 57.3 per cent. of ethnic minorities were in employment compared with 75.5 per cent. of whites in the UK's working age population, and that in all regions employment rates were lower for ethnic minorities than whites, the difference being greater than 20 percentage points in the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside and the West Midlands; considers this disparity unfair and unreasonable and believes that it gives the lie to racists pretending the opposite; and calls upon the Government to take steps to further improve ethnic minority employment opportunities.

Signatures by party: Labour 35, Liberal Democrat 12, Labour/Co-operative 3, Conservative 1, UUP 1.