§ 8. Mrs. Helen Brinton (Peterborough)What steps his Department is taking to combat racism in the public sector. [99683]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Mike O'Brien)We have now published a Bill to bring all the public sector, including the police, within race relations legislation. Last week, 547 we also published an equality statement that set race equality within a wider strategy to ensure that the public sector promotes equality and leads by example.
§ Mrs. BrintonI thank the Minister for that welcome reply. As he will know, the case of a constituent of mine has recently given me cause to look in depth at the role of race and racism in our mental health service. I was shocked to discover that everything from the first diagnosis to drug administration and the control and restraint methods employed can be directly or indirectly affected by racism. What reassurances can my hon. Friend give to the thousands of black and Asian men and women in the mental health system that racism will be tackled by the race relations Bill, which was recently announced in the Queen's Speech?
§ Mr. O'BrienThe Bill covers mental health patients in the same way that it covers others. Direct discrimination and victimisation of a mentally ill patient by any specified public authority in the performance of its functions, which are currently covered by the Race Relations Act 1976, will become unlawful. Discrimination against mentally ill patients in sectors already covered by the Act, such as the provision of goods, facilities and services, will of course remain unlawful.
§ Mr. David Lidington (Aylesbury)Have the Government reached a final conclusion on the proposal from the Commission for Racial Equality that the burden of proof should be reversed in cases of alleged racial discrimination? Does not the Minister agree that to implement such a proposal would risk severely damaging, not improving, race relations in this country?
§ Mr. O'BrienWe will obviously take account of what the hon. Gentleman has said in reaching our conclusions. We have considered the third review of race relations legislation by the Commission for Racial Equality. It contains several proposals that we strongly support, and we are still considering other proposals, including the one referred to by the hon. Gentleman. In due course, we shall introduce our proposals on how to proceed. The key point is that the House should take a lead, both with the Bill that will shortly come before the House and with later legislation, to ensure that we create a successful, multi-racial society in Britain.
§ Fiona Mactaggart (Slough)Is the Minister aware that, although welcome, the Bill's limited proposals will not necessarily tackle institutionalised racism—so powerfully identified by the Macpherson report—in some of our public services, especially the police? Has he considered whether ensuring that public services generally have the duty to promote good race relations which we have already given to the Greater London Authority might result in a better piece of legislation?
§ Mr. O'BrienI do not agree that the Bill will not tackle some of the issues of institutional racism identified by the Macpherson report: the Bill is a direct response to it. However, I agree that we should consider imposing a statutory duty on public authorities to promote race equality. Indeed, last week, we announced that, in due 548 course and when parliamentary time allows, we shall ensure that public authorities have a duty to promote race equality.