§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Inner Cities Religious Council was established; what is the relationship between the council and his Department; what organisations have been invited to be represented on the council, to date; how many meetings of the council have been convened; which 207W Ministers and or officials are represented on the council; what matters have been discussed at meetings with the council; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robin SquireI refer the hon. Member to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Field), on 1 July,Official Report, column 560. The Government have set up the Inner Cities Religious Council as part of its "Action for Cities" initiative; I chair the council, and Rev. Chris Beales has been seconded to my Department from the Church of England, to act as its secretary.
The council first met on July 20, and will do so again on December 8. The main items discussed at the first meeting were:
- the Government's Action for Cities programmes:
- the future work of the Inner Cities Religious Council;
- the Council's Terms of Reference;
- Proposals for a regional Multi-Faith Conference on Inner Cities. (This was held on 27 October 1992, at Kirklees).
The director of the Inter-Faith Network attends meetings as an observer, and officials from my Department and the Home Office are also in attendance. Ministers or officials from other "Action for Cities" departments will attend as necessary.
Membership of the council is currently as follows:
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Dr. Mughram A1-Ghamdi Director, Islamic Cultural Centre, Regent's Park Mosque. (MUSLIM) Rt. Reverend Tom Butler Bishop of Leicester. Chair of the 'Faith in the City' Advisory Group (1986–90). (CHURCH OF ENGLAND) His Hon. Israel Finestein QC President, Board of Deputies of British Jews. (JEWISH) Ms. Anne Forbes Project Leader, "Faith in Elderly People", Leeds; Member of Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference Committee for Community Affairs. (ROMAN CATHOLIC) Reverend Alan Greenbat Consultant, Office of the Chief Rabbi. (JEWISH) Mr. Surjit Singh Kalra Former teacher and co-ordinator, South Asian languages. (SIKH) Mr. Deepak Naik Public Relations Officer for the National Council of Hindu Temples UK. (HINDU) Reverend Bryan Rippin Chairman, Sheffield District of the Methodist Church. (FREE CHURCH FEDERAL COUNCIL) Mr. Iqbal Sacranie Joint Convenor of UK Action Committee on Islamic Affairs. Member of the Home Secretary's Advisory Council on Race Relations. (MUSLIM) Mr. Om Parkash Sharma President, National Council of Hindu Temples. (HINDU)
Mr. Indarjit Singh, JP Chairman, Sikh Council for Inter-Faith Relations. Member of Home Secretary's Advisory Committee on Race Relations. (SIKH) Rt. Reverend Ossie Williams Director of Ministerial Leadership Development, Church of God of Prophecy. Until October 1992, National Overseer. (BLACK-LED CHURCHES)