Minister outlines plans to improve race equal

Britain's cohesion minister has outlined government plans to boost race equality and improve opportunities for people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Parmjit Dhanda explained that the government is committed to helping people from ethnic minority backgrounds to progress in education and business and called for efforts to be accelerated.

Reflecting on his own experience of growing up as a second generation Asian in Britain, Mr Dhanda said that the focus needs to be on helping all people, regardless of race, faith or ethnic origin, to fulfil their potential.

The Gloucester MP added that he plans to make tackling the inequalities faced by many Muslim women and young people a top priority and wants the government to do more to listen to the voices of Muslim communities in order to bring economic and social benefits to society.

Speaking at a community project in South London, the 35-year-old cohesion minister said: "Many members of the Black and Minority Ethnic Communities are already thriving in Britain today. But the picture is not uniform and we need to step-up efforts to make sure nobody is left behind."

A new report suggests that a new cross-government focus on breaking down barriers preventing some members of black and minority ethnic communities from achieving their full potential are starting to deliver real improvements.

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Date:08/08/2007 10:46:56