LORDS AMENDMENTS (Hansard, 15 November 1976)

§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH
My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth not insist on their Amendment No. 30 to which the Commons have disagreed, and agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 31 and 32 to the words so restored to the Bill. Your Lordship know that the Government had reservations about this clause. They had them when they were defeated in Standing Committee in another place and when they were discussed in this House only a few weeks ago. I made it plain that the Government are at one with the supporters of Clause 71 in believing that local authorities have an important role to play in race relations. The way the local authorities exercise their responsibilities is very important to how the minority communities 1101 fare in our society. The Government believe that it is essential that they should co-operate fully with the new Commission in seeking to promote racial justice and harmony.
The view on both sides in another place was that the Bill should contain a local authority clause, and the Government accepted that view. The Amendment to delete Clause 71 was disagreed to without a division. The Government then did what I said they would do if the clause were not deleted; we moved what are now Commons Amendments Nos. 31 and 32 to clarify the nature of the obligation swhich the clause imposes on local authorities. I hope that these Amendments, which clarify what is expected of local authorities, will make the clause more acceptable to those Members of your Lordships' House who were initially opposed to the clause.

§ Baroness ELLES
My Lords, we seem to be in the curious position that when the Minister spoke on the clause in Committee it appeared that the Government were not terribly enthusiastic about it. Nevertheless, apparently the elected representatives of the people seem to have had their voice override the Government in this case and we now find the clause back in the Bill. Of course it is pointless at this stage in the proceedings to object to the inclusion of the clause, but we see very little point of having it included in that local authorities have obligations to the people living in their community. There seems to be no guidance from the Government as to what sort of policy local authorities are to have and what sort of priority they are to give to race relations. Presumably it will be more and more difficult because even since the introduction of the Bill local authorities have less and less money to use on vital matters apart from race relations. Nobody denies that race relations is an extremely important part of the work of local authorities and one would hope that any local authority would realise that it is the commitment of such a body to encourage good relations. However, in the present position we do not object to 1102 the clause but we think it is quite unnecessary in the Bill.

§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH
My Lords, loath though I am to cross swords with the noble Baroness, it is difficult to please the Opposition who, in another place, were keen to have it. The Government acceded to their request and now the noble Baroness says she is not sure that the Amendment is necessary. I think that on this matter, as I hope on others, we have attempted to listen to the views expressed in both Houses and to come to a decision on the matter which carries with it the approval of as many people on both sides of the House as possible because in this field of race relations legislation I hope there are not major Party issues involved, and we are anxious to ensure that we carry the consent of the largest number of people possible.
The words which appeared in the previous clause were objectionable to the Government and I indicated that if the clause were written into the Bill the Government would wish to come forward with Amendments to deal with the clause as then drafted. In another place it was decided that, as a result of pressure from all sides of the House, a clause along these lines should be written in the Bill and the Government then proposed the Amendments with which we are now dealing.