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Address to the Asian Fire Service Association

Date of speech	26 November 2008
Location	BERR, London
Event summary	Asian Fire Service Association Conference 2008

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Draft text of the speech - may differ from the delivered version.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to address you - and particularly to those Services which are sponsoring today's event.

It's a real privilege to be with you this morning; talking about an issue which is absolutely at the top of my in-tray as Minister for the Fire and Rescue Service.

My own background as a lawyer working to promote human rights and tackle discrimination means that this issue is really important to me personally.

I know that you agree having a more equal and representative fire service, fully reflecting and responsive to the local community is absolutely vital.

And it's not just AFSA and its members - a whole range of partners have signed up to our national equality and diversity strategy, including all the senior leaders at CFOA.

While AFSA has only been going for a couple of years, I know that you've quickly become an invaluable partner.

It was great to see your contribution acknowledged and celebrated at the recent equality and diversity awards.

And I'm glad that Asian members of the Fire and Rescue Service have this strong and credible voice to champion your interests at a national level. I'm really looking forward to working with you.

Without any need for exaggeration or superlatives, I firmly believe that we are living in historic times.

I was out in the US just a few days after the election. The election of Barack Obama in the US, whatever your political persuasion, is nothing short of an inspiration and it was really incredible to feel the sense of excitement, the profound belief that change is in the air for the better.

This election comes just forty years after Martin Luther King Junior described a dream in which his children would be judged on the content of their character not by the colour of their skin.

It is a profound reminder that there should be no limits to our ambitions - in all areas of public life.

And there is no doubt that in this country too; there has been tremendous change.

So the easiest thing for me to do here is to say, how wonderful you all are, give you and the Fire and Rescue Service a massive pat of the back, take some photos and leave.

But what I want to do this morning is reflect on some of the challenges ahead and look at how we can make the national strategy more than words on a page.

Already, I know that there are some fantastic people helping to lead the way forward.

Like Jagtar Singh, who has put his extensive experience to great use as an advisor to Communities and Local Government and at AFSA.

Like Vijay Randeniya, the Acting Chief Fire Officer in the West Midlands.

Like Shaukat Khaliq, the Area Manager in Cleveland.

And like Narinder Dial, leading as an Asian female firefighter

I want to put on record my thanks for the work that they are doing - helping to break open the ranks and make it easier for others to follow. As mentors and examples, I hope that they encourage more people to follow in their footsteps.

Because when you look at the figures for the fire service, it's very clear that there is a long way to go.

There are problems. Just 0.5 per cent of all firefighters in England are Asian. Out of 40 000 operational staff, that is only two hundred.

It's a similar story for other minority ethnic groups and women. The fire service as a whole lags far behind other public services like the police in its recruitment and retention.

But behind the numbers, as you'll know far better that I do, are even more substantial problems.

There are still really deep rooted problems, a culture of harassment and intimidation. People are expected to put up with treatment that just isn't acceptable, because of a misplaced belief that it goes with the territory, that it's just the way it is.

I'm not basing this on anecdotal data, or outdated evidence. This is what today's firefighters tell us goes on in today's fire stations.

Look at the findings of last year's firefighter survey. Some of it was great news. People love working for the fire service; are incredibly motivated; and have a fantastic sense of achievement at the end of the day.

But there were also some genuinely shocking findings.

Most startling is the frequency and depth of bullying that goes on. A significant proportion of those surveyed said that they'd either witnessed or been subject to anything from racial discrimination to outright assault.

The picture that's being painted shows a Fire and Rescue Service which hasn't changed nearly enough. Government and your leaders are paying more attention to the problems, but we aren't really seeing a real difference at the front line.

And it would appear that management just aren't making the connections. In the survey, three quarters of managers said that they didn't really see the importance of having a diverse and representative workforce.
 
According to the survey, much of the harassment goes unreported. This is truly, profoundly shocking; and simply can't be tolerated. It's not good enough to turn a blind eye and say "that's just how it is."

And I want to say to each of you personally, that if this is your experience, then I want you to speak up. Not only will I back you up; but all the Chief Fire Officers are determined to put an end to the worst excesses of misguided behaviour.

I heard this from them again yesterday, when I went to CFOA's equality and diversity conference yesterday. I've been incredibly impressed with the genuine commitment from the President, the Presidential Team and their advisors - and I know they share my determination to see results.

Why is this so important?

Acknowledging that this is going on is the first step to stamping it out. But it is only a first step. We need to see a real change in attitude and behaviour.

This has to be a modern, progressive public service; not the last place in England where it's ok to bully your colleagues.

And if we can start to make real strides to improving the culture, then we can start to make it a place where people from all different backgrounds want to work. And notice I said people, not men - having more women in the service is also critically important.

This isn't because I'm interested in political posturing, or numbers for numbers sake.

All the evidence shows that a more representative service, that engages with and is trusted by all sections of society, is better at preventing fires. And that will save lives.

Equally, to get the best and the brightest to join the Fire and Rescue service, we can't afford to ignore so much talent and potential.

If more than half the population doesn't want to apply because they don't think they'd fit in, then we can't possibly be getting the best people. The fire and rescue service has got to be attractive to more people. That includes women and people from minority ethnic backgrounds.
 
Even setting aside the fact that this is the right and moral thing to do - there is a clear business case for change.

And token efforts to tick the right boxes just aren't going to cut it. Incremental change in fractions of percentage points aren't enough. We need collective and concerted action which delivers real results.

So, what action are we taking? Government can provide leadership, but local action and individuals have a role to play.

Government leadership is going to be essential. I'm made clear my own personal commitment; and these are not empty words - this is a clear priority for me.
This week I shall be writing to every Fire and Rescue Service asking to see their race, gender and disability equality schemes.

We've got the national strategy for equality and diversity; and we've got the right people signed up. But now we have to see it making a difference, and I will be looking to see tangible progress.

Government also has an important role to play in directly engaging communities; helping to strengthen the reputation and image of the service.

The "BAME Fire Kills" campaign is just one of the ways that we are doing that.

You'll all be familiar with the success it's had in helping to build trust, confidence and awareness among the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities - and the role it's played in reducing fire deaths as a result.

Part of this is about raising awareness of owning and maintaining smoke alarms, by advertising in Urdu and Sylheti both on TV and in the press. This has recently been shortlisted for the Civil Service Diversity and Equality Awards. Jagtar Singh has been closely involved, and I want to thank him for that.

But government action is only one part of the story. To be truly effective, change has got to come from within the Service - with leadership right from the top and commitment at every level.

As I mentioned, yesterday, I went to the address the Chief Fire Officers at their equality and diversity conference. I want to see more action, sooner and swifter.

My message to them was clear - that they have a responsibility to win hearts and minds to create the more open and inclusive service I've been talking about this morning. A service where everyone is treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve - and no-one is subject to intimidation or harassment.

This is essential - not only to attract more people, but to improve retention rates and to support career progression. Yes, we need to see more black, more women, more Asian firefighters at the front lines, but it can't and shouldn't stop there. There should be a visible and vocal presence at every level of the organisation - Vijay, Shaukat, and Narinder shouldn't be isolated examples.

And so finally, I also think that you as individuals also have an important role to play - both in changing the culture and in attracting more people to join. It's never easy to be a pioneer. But as role models, you can have a profound impact; not just in the station but in the wider community too.

By going out into schools, for example, you can help inspire the next generation of firefighters - a generation which must include talented young people from the Asian community.

We are, for example, about to start work on the next phase of Project Samantha, getting secondary school girls thinking about a career in the fire service. Your influence and example will be truly inspiring to your daughters, my daughters, and their friends as well as your sons.

A couple of decades ago, you wouldn't get a Minister talking about this in public. In fact, a couple of decades ago, you wouldn't have a Minister of Asian origin who used to be a human rights lawyer. 

But progress has been made and it's thanks to the efforts of you and your colleagues. 

There's a long way to go yet. I look forward to being with you on this journey. I'm in no doubt that there will be ups and downs - but my department and I will be with you every step of the way.  

Thank you very much.