§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department has taken in response to the recommendations in paragraphs 27 and 28 of the 1989 Home Affairs Select Committee report on racial attacks and harassment which are his responsibility; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoWe agree with the Home Affairs Select Committee that local authorities should be encouraged to follow the recommendations of the racial attacks group —RAG—report and its good practice guidance on tackling racial violence and harassment in local authority housing. We sent copies of the report and the guidelines to all housing authorities in England, in July 1989.
Earlier this year we initiated research to see how far local authorities had acted on this advice. The results have been encouraging and a report has been made to the RAG which I understand that the Home Office hope to publish by the end of the year.
384WThe existing grounds for eviction in the Housing Act 1985 were considered adequate by the Home Affairs Committee who saw no need for separate provisions specifically concerned with racial harassment. However. we have said that if evidence should come to light that the existing law was ineffective, we would look at it again.