Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of racial and accent prejudices towards Indian nationals and people of Indian heritage on the (a) investment of Indian tech firms into the UK and (b) ability of Indian tech firms to locate their businesses in the UK.

India remains the UK’s second largest foreign direct investment (FDI) market of origin, second after only the US. In 2021/22, the Department for International Trade supported 98 FDI investments originating from India, creating almost 8,300 jobs across the UK. In the 3 years to March 2021, on average households in the Indian ethnic group were the most likely to have a weekly income of £2,000 or more.

The Government is committed to making Britain a fairer place for all, and for delivering equality of opportunity for everyone. This includes tackling all types of discrimination, including on grounds of race, wherever it arises.

It is unlawful to discriminate, harass or victimise a person because of their race, ethnicity, nationality or colour. The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) provides legal protection for the protected characteristic of race, which includes colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins. This means the Act provides protection against unlawful racial or ethnic discrimination in employment and in other areas covered by the Act such as services, transport, education and housing.

A person's voice/accent can sometimes be an indicator of a protected characteristic (in particular race). So although accent is not a protected characteristic, it is possible that discriminating against a person because of their accent will amount to unlawful discrimination under the Act, depending on the circumstances.