Day 133 - 12 Jun 95 - Page 12


     
     1   Q.   What was the reason why that Group was set up?
     2        A.  Well, it is a cross-functional group and we thought
     3        that was the best way to make sure that we were getting
     4        views from all different sections of the Company, and to
     5        ensure that we were carrying out our policy as we wanted to
     6        do and to make further improvements as time goes on.
     7
     8   Q.   What do you mean by "improvements"?
     9        A.  Well, as time goes on I think people within the Company
    10        and within society generally change their views and their
    11        expectations.  It is important that we do the same thing in
    12        terms of how we operate in the employment area, equal
    13        opportunities.
    14
    15   Q.   Within equal opportunities, of course, one of the
    16        categories in the population at large are ethnic
    17        minorities, right?
    18        A.  Yes.
    19
    20   Q.   Is this something to which you have paid particular
    21        attention?
    22        A.  Certainly it is an area that is of interest to me.
    23        I have always lived in London and worked in London
    24        so  .....
    25
    26   Q.   Is it of interest or concern to the Company?
    27        A.  Yes, it is.
    28
    29   Q.   Why?
    30        A.  Because the employment of people from ethnic minorities
    31        is something that is important to us because we employ many
    32        people from ethnic minorities.  It is important that we
    33        make sure that we are treating them fairly and in line with
    34        our policy as we do with everybody else.
    35
    36   Q.   Am I right that in recent years you have begun to compile
    37        statistics showing what the constituent parts by ethnic
    38        origin are of your staff?
    39        A.  Yes.
    40
    41   Q.   We know that you have done it for salaried staff.  Are you
    42        trying or will you try to do it for hourly paid workers?
    43        A.  Yes, we will.  At the moment we do not actually have
    44        that in place because it is actually quite a major and
    45        complex exercise to do it, and we are at the hands of the
    46        Information Services Department.
    47
    48   Q.   I am sorry about this.  Can you put away that volume XI
    49        please and replace it with it is neighbour 12 and please
    50        turn to tab 24A? 
    51        A.  24A? 
    52 
    53   Q.   Yes.  These should be some -- I do not know if they are
    54        called spreadsheets but anyhow they are big sheets, do you
    55        see ---
    56        A.  Yes.
    57
    58   Q.   -- which need to be folded out.  They are dated 13th April
    59        1994?
    60        A.  Yes.

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