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UK must act against race inequality, Theresa May says UK must act against race inequality, Theresa May says
(about 3 hours later)
Theresa May is to challenge public services over how they treat people of different races. Theresa May has challenged public services over how they treat people of different races.
The prime minister says institutions must "explain or change" any variations when data is released later on Tuesday. The prime minister says institutions must "explain or change" any variations, as she released data on a new government website.
It is expected to show unemployment for black, Asian and minority ethnic people at nearly double that of white British adults, and disparity in who owns their own home. It shows unemployment for black, Asian and minority ethnic people at nearly double that of white Britons, and disparity in who owns their own home.
Critics say it is a "crude" approach that risks making a grievance culture. Critics say publishing the data is not enough, and that solutions are needed.
The prime minister will launch a website later containing the data, compiled from across the UK government. The government says the figures included in data from across departments suggest:
The government says the figures released at 12:30 BST will suggest: It also shows:
"People who have lived with discrimination don't need a government audit to make them aware of the scale of the challenge," Mrs May will say. "People who have lived with discrimination don't need a government audit to make them aware of the scale of the challenge," Mrs May said.
"But this audit means that for society as a whole - for government, for our public services - there is nowhere to hide." "This audit means that for society as a whole - for government, for our public services - there is nowhere to hide."
Almost all the data released on the website 'Ethnicity Facts and Figures' is already publicly available and no new data was commissioned for the audit. Among those contacting the BBC, Shaneil, from Moss Side, Manchester, told the BBC: "It shouldn't matter where you come from or your race. You should be equal, you should be able to do anything you want to do.
The site aims to be user-friendly, highlighting disparities between ethnic groups, some by age or gender, location or income, BBC home editor Mark Easton said. "We need more different ethnicities to be in power as well."
But it will not attempt to explain why these differences exist. Joseph G Jones, of the Gypsy Council, said the government was failing its Romani and Traveller communities with "multi-discrimination" across people's lifetimes.
"The younger generations shouldn't have to put up with endemic ongoing discrimination - for the time being there is little light at the end of the tunnel," he said.
And Victoria Stevens, a Ukrainian who has lived in the UK for 18 years told the BBC she had no problem in applying for jobs, as she had a mechanical engineering degree, plenty of work experience, and her late husband's English surname.
But she added: "However, when it came to career progression, I found that a British candidate would get a promotion above me, every time."
Almost all the data released on 'Ethnicity Facts and Figures' is already publicly available and no new data was commissioned for the audit.
The site aims to be user-friendly, highlighting disparities between ethnic groups, some by age or gender, location or income, BBC home editor Mark Easton says.
But it does not attempt to explain why these differences exist.
'Grievance culture' risk'Grievance culture' risk
But critics from ethnic minority backgrounds, including former deputy London mayor Munira Mirza, in a letter to The Times, said the "crude and tendentious" approach of comparing the data in the website risked "promoting a grievance culture and policies that harm the communities they aspire to help".But critics from ethnic minority backgrounds, including former deputy London mayor Munira Mirza, in a letter to The Times, said the "crude and tendentious" approach of comparing the data in the website risked "promoting a grievance culture and policies that harm the communities they aspire to help".
They said prejudice had declined "markedly" and while injustice must be challenged, there were often many underlying factors to explain differences.They said prejudice had declined "markedly" and while injustice must be challenged, there were often many underlying factors to explain differences.
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid denied the data would drive a grievance culture but said it would help identify disparities. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid denied it would drive a grievance culture but said it would help identify disparities.
"There are hundreds of thousands of British Pakistani women and Bangladeshi women who don't speak proper English, who don't speak English at all," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."There are hundreds of thousands of British Pakistani women and Bangladeshi women who don't speak proper English, who don't speak English at all," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"That might be through choice in some cases, it might be a cultural issue. But that is a big issue because that does then hold those women back from the employment market and other opportunities", he said."That might be through choice in some cases, it might be a cultural issue. But that is a big issue because that does then hold those women back from the employment market and other opportunities", he said.
David Isaac, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said the data must be used to set the foundations for change and address "entrenched inequality". Labour's Dawn Butler said government cuts to services had disproportionately affected women, ethnic minorities, disabled and older people.
The report was not enough and solutions were needed, she added.
Help 'hotspots'Help 'hotspots'
Although the audit will not focus on government policies, Mrs May will launch a number of measures to combat the differences discovered. Although the audit does focus on government policies, Mrs May is launching a number of measures to combat the differences discovered.
They include Department for Work and Pensions "hotspots" to help people from ethnic minorities get jobs, and traineeships for 16-24 year-olds.They include Department for Work and Pensions "hotspots" to help people from ethnic minorities get jobs, and traineeships for 16-24 year-olds.
Have you ever felt your race has affected your chances in education, the criminal justice system or other public services? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story.Have you ever felt your race has affected your chances in education, the criminal justice system or other public services? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story.
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