§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much emphasis in targeting social need is given to integrating ethnic and religious groups. [157320]
§ Mr. SpellarNew Targeting Social Need (TSN) is Northern Ireland's main policy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and has three priority areas which focus on Employment/Employ ability, addressing inequality in other areas such as health and housing and Promoting Social Inclusion.
The Promoting Social Inclusion (PSI) element of New TSN involves Departments working, both collectively and with partners outside Government to identify and tackle factors, which can contribute to social exclusion. One of the initial priority areas identified under PSI was the position of minority ethnic people in Northern Ireland.
A formal PSI Working Group was set up to develop a strategy to promote inclusion of minority ethnic people in Northern Ireland and to tackle racial inequalities. A Race Equality Unit was established in 2001 within the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister to oversee the development of the Race Equality Strategy. The Unit's role is to lead on action—by Government and in partnership with external stakeholders—to tackle social exclusion of minority ethnic people in Northern Ireland and racial inequalities. It maintains close links with the Home Office, the National Assembly for Wales, the Scottish Executive and the administration in Republic of Ireland.
A draft of the Strategy was published for consultation in February 2003. A finalised version of the Strategy, which takes account of the results of the consultation, will be published in summer 2004.
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