asked the Paymaster General if he will make the gathering of information on ethnic origins compulsory, and publish the percentage of entrants to his Department who failed to respond to the ethnic origins questionnaire.

Responsibility for the arrangements for ethnic monitoring in the Civil Service lies with the Management and Personnel Office and these are covered in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 24 March, at column 98. In the period 1 October 1985 to 31 December 1986, 19·4 per cent. of new entrants to my Department failed to respond either to the ethnic origin questionnaire or a reminder.