HC Deb 15 November 1979 vol 973 cc1478-9
3. Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in reviewing the operation of section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966.

Mr. Raison

The review involves a number of difficult issues which will need further consideration before any decisions can be reached.

Mr. Dubs

Is the Minister aware that section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 is in its small way a useful aid to local authorities in multi-racial areas? Can he give some date when the review will be completed in order that section 11 can be made more sensitive to the needs of such areas?

Mr. Raison

I accept that section 11 is of some value, as the hon. Gentleman says. However, the question of how to replace it is a complicated one, and I cannot now say exactly when we shall be ready with proposals on that matter.

Mr. Alexander W. Lyon

Surely all the difficulties were solved in the Local Government Grants (Ethnic Groups) Bill presented by the last Government? If the Minister really wants to improve race relations, is he aware that this is the most important contribution that a Government could make?

Mr. Raison

I doubt whether the hon. Gentleman's second point is altogether true. As to his first point, while I accept that this is a useful piece of legislation, I believe that the problem of how to replace it is a complicated one. We made it clear in opposition that a number of difficulties had to be faced up to, and we are thinking hard about these problems.