Police: Race Relations Policies

Lord Elystan-Morgan Excerpts

Monday 30th April 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Henley]

My Lords, the noble Baroness makes a very valid point and one that I am sure is taken into account in initial and all further ongoing training.

[Lord Elystan-Morgan]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that successive Governments, probably over the last 40 years, have found it extremely difficult to recruit the maximum number of officers from among ethnic minorities? Can he assure the House that the greatest effort will be made and the heaviest emphasis placed upon this crucial factor?

[Lord Henley]

My Lords, I can say that great progress has been made over the last 40, 30, 20 and even 10 years on increasing the diversity of the police force so that it better represents the areas that it covers. That will obviously vary from Wales to the Met. I can also tell the noble Lord—and this is important—that the figures from black and ethnic minority communities on their satisfaction and confidence in our police forces seem very similar to figures from white communities.