§ Mr. Jim Lesterasked the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to lay before Parliament the draft code of practice on the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of equality of opportunity in the field of employment, recently submitted to him by the Commission for Racial Equality.
§ Mr. AlisonMy right hon. Friend received the draft code on 21 December 1981 and is now considering it under the procedures laid down in section 47 of the Race Relations Act 1976. The Act lays on him a duty, if he approves of the code, to lay it before Parliament under the negative resolution procedure, or, if he does not approve of it, to publish details of his reasons for withholding approval. The Employment Committee of the House has indicated to him that it would like to give its views on the draft code. He has informed the Chairman of the Committee that he welcomes this interest and would be glad to have the Committee's views so that he can take them into account before making a decision on the draft code.