Background
The Government aspires to provide work for those who can, and support for those who can't.
However, at present not all of those who can work are able to join the labour market and this is a particular problem for ethnic minorities.
Ethnic minorities are less likely to find and sustain employment than their white counterparts - and this disadvantage has persisted for more than a decade.
This waste of employment potential has both economic and social costs, contributing to social exclusion and damaging community cohesion.
Improving the situation of ethnic minorities in the labour market is an objective that requires Government departments to join up in their commitment and determination to remove the barriers to employment that are faced by some ethnic minority groups.
The Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force was formed five years ago in response to the recommendations of the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report on ethnic minorities in the labour market. It is the key mechanism for ensuring that departments work together and deliver a coherent cross-Government ethnic minority strategy.
The Task Force is chaired by the Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform and consists of Ministers from: Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), Her Majesty's Treasury (HMT), Cabinet Office (CO), Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Government Equalities Office (GEO).
It also consists of representatives from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Local Government Association (LGA), the Trades Union Congress (TUC), London Development Agency (LDA) and the Ethnic Minority Advisory Group (EMAG).
Since the Task Force was set up in 2003, the ethnic minority employment rate gap has narrowed significantly and two Public Sector Agreement targets have been met. There is, however, still much work to be done, especially with the changing economic conditions.
The Task Force is committed to further reducing the employment rate gap and is working to ensure that ethnic minorities have the best possible opportunity during the current economic climate.