Letter: Tests may cause discrimination

YOU CLAIM that the London Borough of Brent used psychometric tests 'approved by the Commission for Racial Equality' to select staff for redundancy ('Redundancy candidates are being put to the test', Business, 10 January).

The commission was not approached by the council at any time to approve tests for deciding who should be dismissed. When used properly, psychometric tests can be more objective and reliable than most. But when tests are badly designed or inappropriately scored, they may cause indirect racial discrimination.

Mary Coussey

Commission for Racial Equality

London SW1