§ Mr. EffordTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department of the Macpherson Inquiry recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [80532]
§ Ms JowellI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 14 April 1999,Official Report, columns 239–40.
The Department has already set up a number of initiatives in the past two years on race equality issues and we are taking stock of these in the light of the publication of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report. In considering the implications of the Inquiry's recommendations, it will be important to develop a systematic response across Government and the Department is working with the Home Office and other Government Departments to take this forward.