In May 2016, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills launched a call for evidence to a review looking at why people from BME backgrounds don’t progress in their careers in the same way as their white counterparts.

Prospect equalities officer Sandie Maile said: “We welcome this review which comes against the background of BME workers still being more likely to be lower paid or unemployed than their white counterparts, regardless of their qualifications and experience.”

Maile pointed to recent TUC analysis which found that:

• BME workers with degrees earn 10.3% less on average than white workers
• those with A-levels earn 17.1% less on average than their white counterparts
• BME workers are also much more likely to be unemployed.

“We hope that review will lead to some real actions to develop a long-term strategy to tackle discrimination and the barriers that BME people face in the Labour market,” added Maile.

Prospect will be responding to the consultation. If there are specific issues that you would like us to cover, please email [email protected] by Monday, 25 July 2016.

Individuals can contribute evidence and Prospect is encouraging as many members as possible to do so.