PSA Target 10 - Reduce race inequalities and build community cohesion

Scope

This target applies to England and Wales

Definitions and Measurement Systems

This target will be achieved through:

Race element

A decrease in the number of people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities who perceive that they would be treated worse than people of other races by one or more key public services1 and in the labour market, as measured through the Home Office Citizenship Survey2. The Citizenship Survey is carried out every other year. It has a minority ethnic booster sample that provides robust results by ethnicity.

Community Cohesion element

An increase in perceptions of community cohesion, as measured through the Citizenship Survey Local Area Boost. For the baseline year, 10 areas will be selected on the basis of risk of disturbances.

Baseline

The baseline periods are:

Race element

2001 for the perceptions of racial discrimination by a range of key public services
2003 for perceptions of racial discrimination in the labour market (the first time this data was available).

Community cohesion element

2005 for community cohesion. For the purposes of this PSA, the high risk areas will be determined in 2005 and these will remain throughout the PSA period. (c) Success Criteria

The target will have been achieved if there is:

a decrease in the percentage of people from BME communities who feel that one or more of the key public services3 would treat them worse than people of other races, by 2007
a decrease in BME perceptions of discrimination in the labour market4 ,by 2007; and
an increase in perceptions of community cohesion in the majority of areas where the risk of disturbance is high, by 2007.

Additional Notes

This PSA forms part of the Government-wide race equality and community cohesion strategy 'Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society'.

Race equality

In addition to this PSA, SR2004 includes PSA targets for DWP to:

Over the three years to Spring 2008, and taking account of the economic cycle:

demonstrate progress on increasing the employment rate;
increase the employment rate of disadvantaged groups (lone parents, ethnic minorities, people aged 50 or over, those with the lowest qualifications and those living in the Local Authority wards with the poorest initial labour market position); and
significantly reduce the difference between the employment rates of the disadvantaged groups and the overall rate (DWP PSA 4).

And for the DTI to:

By 2008, promote ethnic diversity, cooperative employment relations and greater choice and commitment in the workplace, while maintaining a flexible labour market (DTI PSA 10).

In addition to these three PSAs, there are six other PSAs where departments will monitor progress in tackling race inequalities, specifically:
DfES: (PSA 10) Key Stage 4. By 2008, 60% of those aged 16 achieve the equivalent of 5 GCSEs at grades A* to C); and in all schools at least 20% of pupils achieve this standard by 2004, rising to 25% by 2006 and 30% by 2008.

DfES: (PSA 14) by 2010, increase participation in Higher Education towards 50% of those aged 18 to 30. Also, make significant progress year on year towards fair access, and bear down on rates of non-completion.

DH: (PSA 7) Secure sustained annual national improvements in NHS patient experience by 2008, as measured by independently validated surveys, ensuring that individuals are fully involved in decisions about their healthcare, including choice of provider.

CJS: (PSA 2) reassure the public, reducing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, and build confidence in the criminal justice system without compromising fairness.

Communities and Local Government: (PSA 5) achieve a better balance between housing availability and the demand for housing, including improving affordability, in all English regions while protecting valuable countryside around our towns, cities and in the green belt and the sustainability of towns and cities.

Communities and Local Government: (PSA 7) by 2010, bring all social housing into a decent condition with most of this improvement taking place in deprived areas, and for vulnerable households in the private sector, including families with children, increase the proportion who live in homes that are in decent condition.

Reporting

Progress in reducing race inequalities and increasing community cohesion as part of the Government's wider strategy (including the race equality dimension to relevant PSAs) will be reported annually as part of the annual review of the Government's Race Equality and Community Cohesion Strategy' Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society', which is led by the Home Office.

1 These organisations are: the police service, prison service, courts, Crown Prosecution Service, probation service, council housing departments/housing associations, local schools, local GPs

2 http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pubsintro1.html

3 Measured by aggregating the proportion of people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities who think one or more of the organisations listed would treat them worse than other races . The resulting percentage includes people who feel one or more of the organisations identified in the respective PSAs would treat them worse than people of other races.

4 Measured through two elements - the proportion of people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities who think that they were turned down for a job or a promotion in the last 5 years on grounds of their race. This part of the PSA will be met if there is a reduction in at least 1 of the two elements.