HC Deb 01 December 1981 vol 14 c102W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to public funds of the Commission for Racial Equality in the last financial year; and how much he has allocated to it in the current financial year.

Mr. Raison

The grant-in-aid paid to the commission in 1980–81 was £7 million. The provision made for the current financial year is £7,856,000 at out-turn prices.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of applications for legal assistance considered by the complaints committee of the Commission for Racial Equality during 1980; how many of these applications were granted legal assistance; and how many cases were successful.

Mr. Raison

The commission considered 790 applications during 1980 including 118 outstanding from the previous year, and gave legal assistance in 81 cases. Twenty-six applications successful in industrial tribunals and county courts had legal assistance from the Commission.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total legal costs of the Commission for Racial Equality incurred during the last financial year; and of this what was the cost of investigations conducted by the commission during that period.

Mr. Raison

I understand that in 1980–81 the commission's legal expenses were £99,132 of which £14,394 related to formal investigations. These figures exclude the salary costs of the legally qualified staff employed by the commission.