In an interview with the FT, the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, Gurbux Singh, warns that business will face further anti-discrimination legislation unless more non-white applicants are employed in managerial positions.

"If the private sector does not deal with this issue there will inevitably be a clamour for legislation," he says.

His comments come as the government is expected to announce the creation of an umbrella organisation to enforce all anti-discrimination laws, in a speech on Wednesday by cabinet office minister Barbara Roche.