28 February 2007 - Hutton: “We must tackle unemployment amongst ethnic minorities”
Ethnic minorities continue to face an employment gap according to new research published today by the Department for Work and Pensions.
The research analyses the probability of being in employment based on different combinations of ethnic and religious group. The report finds that for women, the employment penalties faced by Muslims of all ethnic backgrounds are higher than the penalty for any ethnic group of no religion.
Launching the report in Bethnal Green today, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions John Hutton said:
"We simply cannot afford to ignore the specific discrimination that exists in the UK labour market
"Increasingly, we must focus on the most disadvantaged by rewarding private and voluntary sector providers based on their success in supporting the hardest to help back to work
"This funding won’t just be for overcoming the barriers to finding work - but rather overcoming the barriers to staying in work and progressing within the workplace too.
"It means recognising that the State is not always the best vehicle for providing support. That community organisations – like the Women’s Enterprise Project in Bethnal Green, which I visited today– have a unique ability to build relationships and inspire trust.
"Along with improvements in training and skills – such as the increased emphasis on English language training for benefit recipients we announced earlier this month – ethnic minority employment rates can be improved.
"It’s about Government leading from the front and asking those supplying Government to adopt the same principles."
Notes to Editors
The research report Persistent Employment Disadvantage is published on the DWP website at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep416.pdf
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