Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the level of in-person bullying against BAME people.

We welcome the publication of the Race Disparity Audit (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/650723/RDAweb.pdf), by the Cabinet office in October 2017. Officials from the Government Equalities Office and Cabinet Office are discussing a number of issues highlighted by the audit, including any implications that it might have for the Equality Act 2010 which prohibits harassment on grounds of race in employment and the provision of goods, services and public functions.

The Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) records the number of calls they receive about harassment and victimisation of BAME people and have reported that, between October 2016 and 31 October 2017 there were 89 calls from BAME people about harassment or victimisation, out of a total of 2,235 race-related calls.