Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent steps she has taken to help close the ethnicity employment gap.

The ethnic minority employment rate is at a record high of 69.4 per cent. This is an increase of 1.1 percentage points on the previous year, and 3 percentage points above the pre-COVID rate (Jan-Mar 2019). There are now 4.9 million ethnic minority workers in employment in the United Kingdom. This is an increase of 391,000 on the previous year and is also a record high.

We want everyone to be able to find a job, progress in work and thrive in the labour market, whoever they are and wherever they live. For example, we are working with over 85 of the country's most influential employers through the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network to widen participation in apprenticeships particularly for people from disadvantaged backgrounds and under-represented groups, including ethnic minorities.

We published Inclusive Britain in March 2022, our groundbreaking strategy to tackle negative ethnic disparities, promote unity and build a fairer Britain for all. Our update report to Parliament on 17 April set out the excellent progress we have made so far in delivering this strategy. This includes launching an Inclusion at Work Panel to tackle bias and ensure fairness, and publishing new guidance for employers on how to use positive action in the workplace and to report on ethnicity pay gaps.