Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of research published on 8 July from the University of Manchester suggesting that BAME communities are underrepresented in local government.

The government has read the report with interest. We are keen to promote diversity and make sure that everyone has the chance to succeed. Councils are independent employers and Councillors are democratically-elected. Government rightly has no role in any staffing decisions or electoral processes. However, we would encourage all councils to endeavour to build workforces, and encourage political parties to choose candidates that are diverse, represent the communities they serve and address any under-representations.

We are aware that the LGA want to encourage more people to stand as councillors as part of their ‘Be a Councillor’ campaign. The LGA agree that we need a numerous and diverse set of candidates and councillors to represent our numerous and diverse local communities, ensuring that local decision making is robust and well-informed.