Judges
360. There is only 1 judge from the ethnic minorities out of 415. The Government hopes that the numbers will increase as younger lawyers reach the stage where they can be considered for judicial appointment.
Parliament and local government
361. There are four members of the House of Commons who are from the ethnic minority groups; they represent the whole community in their constituencies. In the House of Lords, there are two ethnic minority life peers. In local government, ethnic minority representation is increasing:
many such
councillors have been elected and a few local authorities have chosen mayors from the ethnic minority communities.
Education
362. There are no figures available centrally on the ethnic origin of school pupils, teachers or students in further or higher education, but arrangements to collect information are in hand.
Schools
363. On 4 April 1989, the Department of Education and Science (DES) issued a circular setting out the arrangements for collection of ethnically based statistics on schoolteachers in schools maintained by the local education authorities in England and Wales. (Separate arrangements are being made in Scotland.) The circular requires each local education authority to collect information about the ethnic origin of all its schoolteachers and to make an annual return to the DES and the Welsh Office, the first of which will be in January 1990. The Government also intends to collect separately similar information on the teaching staffs of city technology colleges and of grant-maintained schools. These data will help to monitor the effectiveness of policies designed to effect an increase in the proportion of teachers from the ethnic minorities and to ensure that fair and equal employment opportunities are provided.
364. On 25 July 1989, the DES issued a circular setting out the arrangements for the collection of ethnically based statistics on school pupils in maintained schools in England. (Wales and Scotland are making separate arrangements.)
The statistics will be collected from September 1990 when
a pupil enters primary or secondary school, i.e. when pupils are aged 5 or 11 years. The data will in due course assist the DES, local education authorities, schools, parents and others to ensure that the education provided in schools meets the needs of all pupils and thus helps secure equality of opportunity for those who are from the ethnic minorities.
Further and higher education
365. On 25 July 1989, it was announced that there should be national data collection on ethnicity for each and every student on enrolment for further education. This would be achieved in incorporating a question in the Further Education Statistical Record, the first of which would be returned in November 1990. In addition, both the University Central Council on Admissions (UCCA) and the Polytechnic Central Admissions System have agreed