Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with police forces on reforming recruitment procedures to increase the recruitment, retention and promotion of people from BAME backgrounds.

There is a greater proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) officers than ever before, however the Government has been clear that there is more for forces to do.

The Government established the College of Policing as the professional body for policing. The College has delivered a major programme of work to address the recruitment, retention and progression of officers from BAME and other underrepresented groups in policing including: capturing what works; publishing positive action advice; and reviewing the initial recruitment processes. A pilot of a new assessment centre for police officer recruits is now underway, led by the Metropolitan Police, and an evaluation is expected to be published by the College of Policing in autumn 2019.

Building on the foundations laid by the College, the National Police Chief’s Council published its first Diversity, Equality and Inclusion strategy in October 2018.

Ministers are in regular dialogue with policing partners about increasing police workforce diversity. The Home Secretary chaired a Race Diversity Roundtable with policing leaders in October 2018, following which he wrote to Police and Crime Commissioners, the College of Policing, Her Majesties Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services and chief constables, urging a whole system approach to driving improvements in diversity.