HL Deb 12 February 1970 vol 307 cc1013-4
LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they propose to take arising from the decision of the Housing Committee of the Wolverhampton Town Council to maintain discrimination in its allocation of houses despite the ruling of the Race Relations Board.]

BARONESS LLEWELYN-DAVIES OF HASTOE

My Lords, the Race Relations Board are discussing with Wolverhampton County Borough Council aspects of the Council's housing policies. The House will know that the Council have certain statutory responsibilities and discretions under the Housing Acts. The Race Relations Board are charged with securing compliance with the Race Relations Act 1968. The matter under discussion is whether the Council's policies are consistent with that Act, which is of course for the Board to pursue. I very much regret that the situation has not yet been resolved.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, in thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask her this question? Is it not the case that the Race Relations Board decided that the decision of the Council was discriminatory? Is she aware that following that decision the Chairman of the Housing Committee, Alderman Peter Farmer, said: We have no intention of reversing the rule. Is my noble friend further aware that the proposal now is that people shall be excluded from housing priority unless they have been in this country for 10 years; and would not that also be in effect discriminatory against immigrants?

BARONESS LLEWELYN-DAVIES OF HASTOE

My Lords, what my noble friend has said is broadly true, to my knowledge, but I should like to point out that this still comes under the conciliatory actions which the Race Relations Board have to take. The next question, of course, is whether this matter goes to the courts, and that is entirely between the Council and the Race Relations Board.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, in those circumstances I will postpone further comment until a decision has been reached.

LORD GRIDLEY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness whether she can confirm that when coloured people have some legitimate grievance or difficulty there are facilities available to them to represent their case and get it properly presented by properly constituted bodies?

BARONESS LLEWELYN-DAVIES OF HASTOE

My Lords, it is quite true that there are facilities for representations to be made by anybody who wishes to do so.

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