To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of employees in his private office are (a) of Asian origin and (b) of Afro-Caribbean origin. [8952]

Of 47 staff working in the private office, five or 11 per cent. are of ethnic minority origin and there are three or 6 per cent. whose ethnic origin is not known. To protect the confidentiality of staff, we cannot provide a further breakdown.