SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
RECRUITMENT
In the view of the CRE the Services have yet
to identify and take action to eliminate some of the hidden barriers
to attracting ethnic minority recruits to careers in the armed
forces.
While acknowledging the considerable efforts
and expenditure deployed to increase levels of ethnic minority
representation within the Armed Forces, the Services have yet
to demonstrate they have a coherent strategy for achieving the
ethnic minority recruiting targets. In order that they meet these
targets, all three Services must first accept that these targets
are achievable and must demonstrate—from the top and at
every level—the same degree of commitment and drive that
has brought about major change in the Household Cavalry.
The CRE welcomes the new Tri-Service meetings
to share best practice between the Services. Each Services must
systematically analyse the successes and failures of their respective
recruiting strategies in order to develop more effective recruiting
strategies that achieve improved outcomes.
The CRE is concerned that the race equality
directives and policies issued at the top of the Services, as
required under the MoD-CRE Action Plan, have not been accepted
and incorporated by all staff at every level. This is of crucial
significance for staff in Armed Forces Careers Offices whose task
it is to represent the Services to potential ethnic minority applicants.
RETENTION
It is the view of the CRE that successes in
ethnic minority recruitment will not achieve a multi-racial Army,
Navy or RAF if ethnic minority recruits are not retained and given
equal opportunities to progress within each of the Services. It
is essential that any barriers to ethnic minority promotion are
exposed and removed.
The CRE has identified the need to develop a
Tri-Service approach to investigating reasons why ethnic minority
staff may opt for Premature Voluntary Release.
The CRE recommends that, in the light of the
changing nature of the demands made on the Armed Forces in the
21st Century, the Services re-examine what skills and experience
are necessary for progression to higher rank.
The CRE has previously identified as a priority
the need for all Services to evaluate the extent to which equal
opportunities training has been successful in changing attitudes
to race at all levels, and creating a culture where individuals
feel confident that their concerns about unfair treatment will
be taken seriously.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES
The CRE recommends that the procedures established
under the Armed Forces Act 1996 (enabling service men and women
to bring discrimination cases in the employment tribunal provided
they have first made a formal internal complaint) should be reviewed;
fresh consideration should be given to allowing service personnel
the same access to employment tribunals as all other employed
persons.
Of more urgent concern is the fact that during
the period since 1996 when the MoD committed the Services to combating
racism and discrimination there continue to be cases in which
appalling forms of racist abuse and harassment are alleged to
have occurred. In many cases there are allegations that commanding
officers are unwilling to act or are among the perpetrators of
racist behaviour. This again raises the issues of leadership and
the need for effective communication and enforcement of anti-racism
policies, which on current evidence must be greatly strengthened.
IMPACT OF
THE RACE
RELATIONS (AMENDMENT)
BILL
The MoD and the Armed Forces should be alert
to the new obligations they will have when the Race Relations
Act is amended. Among the new duties there is likely to be a requirement
to assess the racial equality impact of proposed policies and
current practice.
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