UNITED KINGDOM
No person of Caribbean heritage has won a place in a prestigious graduate scheme for UK Public Servants, despite a record number of applicants.
The latest annual report on the Civil Service Fast Stream, which aims to recruit future leaders of Government Departments, revealed that 339 individuals with Caribbean backgrounds applied in 2016 — nearly double the number of the previous year.
However, none gained a place — the first time in five years there was no representation from this ethnic group.
Shadow Minister for Equalities, Dawn Butler (pictured) accused the system of “deep-rooted racial bias”.
The Government is already under fire from its handling of the so-called Windrush Affair and Ms Butler said some of the Fast Stream applicants were likely to be the grandchildren of those who came to the UK during the Windrush era.
“It’s yet another devastating blow to the community,” Ms Butler said.
The First Division Association, representing senior PS staff, described the figures as “shocking” and said more needed to be done to recruit from minority ethnic communities.
Senior PS employees admitted there was a historical problem in getting candidates from Caribbean backgrounds into the scheme, which the Government has tended to blame on problems in the education system.
Ms Butler said black, Asian and minority ethnic people faced multiple layers of disadvantage in society and had to jump over additional hurdles and be spectacular to succeed in life.
“The Civil Service must explain these figures and the steps they are taking to tackle it, as it suggests unconscious bias training may be necessary,” she said.
London, 29 April 2018
