HC Deb 24 July 1979 vol 971 cc104-6W
Mr. Brotherton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the activities of the advisory council on race relations; who are its members; how many times a year it meets; and what is its cost to public funds.

Mr. Whitelaw

The advisory council on race relations was instituted by my predecessor to advise the Home Secretary on all aspects of the development and implementation of race relations policies. I have decided in principle to retain the advisory council on race relations, subject to a review of its future work and composition. Under my predecessor the membership of the council was as followsHome Secretary—Chairman. Junior Ministers from the Home Office, Department of Employment, Department of the Environment, Department of Health and Social Security and Department of Education and Science. Nine members nominated by the Commission for Racial Equality, Association of County Councils, Association of District Councils, Association of Metropolitan Authorities, London Boroughs Association, GLC, CBI, TUC and National Association of Community Relations Councils, respectively. The following 14 members appointed by the Home Secretary:

  • Lord Pitt.
  • Mrs. Yvonne Conolly.
  • Mrs. Pauline Crabbe.
  • Mr. Hugh Hay.
  • Mr. Sam Springer.
  • Mrs. B. Emecheta.
  • Mr. Ravi Jain.
  • Professor Harminder Singh.
  • Dr. S. S. Chatterjee.
  • Dr. Farukh Hashmi.
  • Mrs. K. Khan.

1978 Up to June 1979
Decisions to deport Orders made Orders enforced Decisions to deport Orders made Orders enforced
Immigration Act 1971—
s. 3(5)(a) … … 955 619 180 557 322 86
s. 3(5)(b) … … 56 57 47 54 47 30
s. 3(5)(c) … … 4 7 2 16 2 1
s 3(6) … … — 551 485 — 313 231
There is no direct relationship in any given period between the number of decisions to deport, the number of deportation orders made and the number of deportation orders enforced.

Miss Richardson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present average delay in the hearing of an appeal under the Immigration Act 1971 (a) before an adjudicator and (b) before the immigration appeal tribunal on appeal from an adjudicator; and if he will give a breakdown of the delays at the different appeal centres.

Mr. Raison

(a) about 10 months; (b) about three months.

Delays at the principal appeal centres are as follows:

  • Birmingham—about 13 months
  • Leeds—about 13 months
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  • Dr. Mohammed lqbal
  • Mr. W. A. Kutub.
  • Mr. K. M. Shah.

The council met about three times a year; its costs in the calendar year 1978 amounted to some £1,000 for travelling and incidental expenses and an estimated £1,500 in staff time.