Having regard to the formal investigation the
terms of reference of which were notified to the Ministry of Defence
("the MoD") by the Commission for Racial Equality ("the
Commission") on 26 April 1994;
Having regard to the Commission's intention,
notified to the MoD on 14 November 1995, to issue a Non-Discrimination
Notice; and
1. The Ministry of Defence agrees to comply
with the undertakings set out in the "Action Plan" appended
to this Agreement which will remain valid for a period of five
years from the date of this Agreement.
2. The Commission for Racial Equality agrees
to refrain from making the decision to issue a Non-Discrimination
Notice for a period of one year from the date of this Agreement
and, provided the Commission is satisfied that the undertakings
have been complied with, agrees at the end of that period to abandon
altogether the question of a Non-Discrimination Notice.
| Item | Objective
| Completion Date | Verification
|
| 1. | Policy statements and communication
| The Commander of the Household Cavalry to issue a directive to all ranks drawing attention to the Army's Equal Opportunities Directive and stressing his personal commitment to its objectives,
| April '96 and upon a new Commander succeeding
| Copy of the directive in the Commander's name and report certifying its distribution.
|
| | to refer to the directive quarterly in orders, and
| Quarterly | Copy of orders.
|
| | to use it in Household Cavalry recruitment literature.
| October '96 | Copy of new material.
|
| 2. | Review of procedures and criteria
| The Household Cavalry to review the criteria for deciding who shall be given officer sponsorship, having regard to the need to avoid indirect racial discrimination,
| | |
| | to set out the revised criteria, and
| May '96 | Copy of criteria.
|
| | to make them available to enquirers and applicants.
| July '96 | Report back on arrangements made.
|
| | The Army to review the BARB test to check its validity for applicants of ethnic minority origin and conformity with best practice on the use of psychometric tests, to take advice from the Commission, and to make necessary changes to practices.
| December '96 (interim)
March '97 (final)
| Report back of interim and final conclusions, proposals for change and necessary changes effected.
|
| 3. | Ethnic records |
| | |
| 3(a) | Applications | The MoD to conduct a thorough review of the tri-Service arrangements for ethnic monitoring of recruitment and selection in the light of the Commission's recommendations, to consult the Commission, to report the conclusions of the review, and
| April '96 | Consultation undertaken. Report back made.
|
| | to make necessary changes to practices.
| November '96 | Periodical report back on changes made.
|
| | A separate record to be made of the ethnic origin of all applicants considered for the Household Cavalry pending the tri-Service review.
| April '96 | Report back on arrangements made.
|
| 3(b) | Serving Personnel |
The MoD to conduct a thorough review of the tri-Service arrangements for ethnic monitoring of serving personnel in the light of the Commission's recommendations, to consult the Commission, to report the conclusions of the review, and
| April '96 | Consultation undertaken. Report back made.
|
| | to make necessary changes to practices.
| November '96 | Periodical report back on changes effected.
|
| | Arrangements to be made for a management audit of the ethnic origin of all personnel serving in the Household Cavalry and attachments pending the tri-Service review.
| April '96 | Report back on arrangements made.
|
| 3(c) | Other | A record to be made by the appropriate means of the ethnic origin of:
—participants in outreach and positive action activities;
—persons applying for and gaining officer sponsorship for the Household Cavalry.
| April '96 | Report back on arrangements made.
|
| 4. | Ethnic monitoring |
| | |
| 4(a) | Recruitment and selection
| Ethnic origin information to be analysed by:
—sex
—source of application
—regiment/corps and trade preferred
—regiment/corps and trade achieved
—BARB test score
—reasons for rejection
—success rates
| | |
| | Arrangements to be made for reports to be produced quarterly of these analyses:
| June '96 | Report back on arrangements, etc.
|
| | —showing both numbers and proportions of applicants and those accepting employment;
—comparing the position with previous quarters' results
—drawing conclusions on patterns and trends and making recommendations for action to promote equality of opportunity.
| | |
| | Quarterly reports to be produced.
| Quarterly beginning December '96 | Copy of reports
|
| | Separate reports to be produced on the ethnic origin of applicants considered for the Household Cavalry pending the tri-Service review.
| Quarterly begining
April '96 |
Copy of reports |
| 4(b) | Serving Personnel |
Ethnic origin information to be analysed by:
—sex
—regiment/corps and trade
—rank
—training received
—time in rank and promotion rates
—premature discharge rates
| | |
| | Arrangements to be made for quarterly reports to be prepared of these analyses in appropriate detail,
—showing both numbers and proportions of personnel of different ethnic origin,
—comparing the position with previous quarters' results,
—drawing conclusions on patterns and trends and making recommendations for action to promote equality of opportunity.
| June '96 | Report back on arrangements, etc.
|
| | Quarterly reports to be produced.
| Quarterly beginning December '96 | Copy of reports.
|
| | Separate reports to be produced in respect of the management audit of the Household Cavalry pending completion of the tri-Service review.
| Quarterly beginning
April '96 |
Copy of reports. |
| 4(c) | Other | Ethnic origin information on applicants and those accepted for Household Cavalry officer sponsorship to be analysed.
| April '96 | Report back on arrangements, etc.
|
| | Arrangements to be made for annual reports to be prepared of these analyses, showing both numbers and proportions of applicants and those accepted for sponsorship according to their ethnic origin, comparing the position with previous years' results, drawing conclusions on patterns and trends and making recommendations for action to promote equality of opportunity.
| April '96 | |
| | Annual reports to be produced.
| Annually beginning
April '96 |
Copy of reports. |
| 4(d) | Postings | Ethnic origin information on serving personnel of other regiments and corps posted on attachment to the Household Cavalry to be analysed.
| | |
| | Arrangements to be made for annual reports to be prepared of these analyses showing both numbers and proportions of personnel posted according to their ethnic origin, comparing the position with previous years' results, drawing conclusions on patterns and trends and making recommendations for action to promote equality of opportunity.
| April '96 | Report back on arrangements, etc.
|
| | Annual reports to be produced.
| Annually beginning
July '96 |
Copy of reports. |
| 5. | Written instructions |
Written instructions on their responsibilities under the Race Relations Act and the Equal Opportunities Directive, including their responsibilities in respect of racial abuse and harassment, to be issued by the Commander of the Household Cavalry to:
—commanding officers
| April '96 | Report certifying that the instructions have been issued and received.
|
| | —adjutants
| | Copies of instructions.
|
| | —officer commanding and second in command of the mobile display (recruitment) team
—all officers, NCOs and men who undertake duties in connection with promoting and facilitating opportunities for service in the Household Cavalry.
| | |
| | Written instructions on their responsibilities under the Race Relations Act and the Equal Opportunities Directive to be issued by the Director of Army Manning and Recruitment to:
| April '96 | Report certifying that the instructions have been issued and received.
|
| | —the commanders of MROs, their officers and staff
—ACOs and NCO recruiters
| | Copies of instructions.
|
| | such instructions to be incorporated in standing written instructions for staff of ACIOs and MROs.
| July '96 | Copies of instructions.
|
| 6. | Training | All Household Cavalry personnel to receive training under current programmes.
| September '96 | Report back on training provided including numbers.
|
| | Recruiting staff in post to be given thorough on-site training on racial equality, including the objectives of the Action Plan and techniques for encouraging ethnic minority applicants to consider opting for the Household Cavalry/Division.
| March '97 | ,, ,,
|
| 7. | Positive Action | The Household Cavalry to revise its recruitment literature in consultation with the Commission to give greater prominence to an equal opportunities message.
| October '96 | Copy of new material.
|
| | DAR and the Household Cavalry to review the options for developing additional careers material containing a positive equal opportunities message and consult the Commission on proposals.
| April '96 | Consultation undertaken. Report back on proposals.
|
| | The contribution of the No. 1 (Household Division) Army Youth Team to be sustained and, if possible, expanded and the Houseshold Cavalry to sustain and strengthen its contribution to the work of the team.
| Ongoing | Report back. |
| | As far as possible, and consistent with good employment practice, the AYT to maintain organisational continuity and continuity of staffing in order to maximise its capacity to build ongoing personal relationships with its customers.
| Ongoing | Report back. |
| | DAR to provide co-ordination and oversight of all positive action efforts.
| April '96 | Report back. |
| | DAR to consult with the Commission with a view to maximising opportunities for the Household Cavalry's mobile display (recruitment) team to target events in areas of above average ethnic minority population.
| December 1996 | Copy of team's programmes for 1996 and 1997.
|
| | The Household Cavalry to seek to place NCO recruiters in ACIOs (TRICOs) located in areas of high ethnic minority population and at the earliest opportunity to deploy ethnic minority soldiers and officers in the recruitment effort.
| September '96
March '97 | Report back on postings of recruiters, soldiers and officers.
|
| | Suitable ethnic minority NCOs to be encouraged to undertake tours as recruiters, with priority to be given to ACIOs in areas with high ethnic minority populations.
| September '96 and March '97 | Report back on postings of ethnic minority recruiters.
|
| | The Household Cavalry to set numerical, date-limited targets for the numbers of ethnic minority applicants, enlistments and officers sponsorships and to assess performance against targets.
| March '96
March '97 | Report back on performance.
|
| 8. | Handling complaints |
All serving Army personnel to receive detailed information on their right to make a complaint of racial discrimination, (including racial abuse or harassment) and the arrangements for obtaining redress.
| [done] | Report back on arrangements made.
|
| | All Commanding Officers to be reminded of the importance of avoiding delay in dealing with racial discrimination (including racial abuse or harassment) complaints.
| June '96 | Report back on arrangements made.
|
| | The Household Cavalry to record all complaints of racial discrimination (including racial abuse or harassment) and to report on numbers, state of progress and outcome quarterly.
| March '96
Quarterly beginning
July '96
| Key data to be reported. |
