HL Deb 28 March 1996 vol 570 cc150-1WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they accept the recommendation made by the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in their report of 15th March 1996 that during the further consideration of the 1995 Asylum and Immigration Bill, full consideration be taken of the provisions of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Baroness Blatch

The Government are satisfied that our obligations under international conventions are already fully met by the Asylum and Immigration Bill.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they accept the recommendation made by the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in their report of 15th March 1996 that comprehensive, action-oriented studies be undertaken to ascertain the reasons behind the low participation of persons belonging to ethnic minority groups in elections, both as voters and as candidates for public office, the reason for their low representation in the police and armed forces, and the reason for their disproportionately high level of unemployment;

Whether they accept the recommendation made by the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in their report of 15th March 1996 that the provisions of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination be taken into full account in the drafting of comprehensive race relations legislation for Northern Ireland, and that a Bill be promulgated as soon as possible;

Whether they accept the recommendation made by the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in their report of 15th March 1996 that an effort be made to make available in the principal minority languages important public information particularly concerning health care;

Whether they accept the recommendation made by the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in their report of 15th March 1996 that the Government regularly collect and analyse data relating to the academic progress of children, broken down by ethnicity, to develop policies and programmes with a view to eliminating disadvantages based on race; and,

Whether they accept the recommendation made by the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in their report of 15th March 1996 that investigations into deaths in custody be carried out expeditiously by independent inquiry mechanisms.

Baroness Blatch

The United Kingdom is currently considering the recommendations made by the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.