Written question asked by Lord Laird (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Andrews (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 March 2009.

Equality: Race

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 10 March (WA 228–29), how they define minority ethnic people.

Answer: In our discussion paper Tackling Race Inequalities, to which I referred in my reply to the noble Lord Ouseley on 10 March (Official Report, col. WA 229), we use the term "Black, Asian and minority ethnic" to mean people from "visible" ethnic groups such as Black, South Asian and Chinese people and also Gypsies and Travellers. However, the Government are not prescriptive in their wider use of the term "minority ethnic" and use the terms "Black and minority ethnic", "Black, Asian and minority ethnic", "ethnic minority" and "minority ethnic" interchangeably.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 2139; 709 c110WA
Session: 2008-09
Related items: Equality: Race
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Ethnic groups Minority groups
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk