§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests he has received from the Commission for Racial Equality for additional funds during the last nine months; for what purposes the funds were required; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrittanIn May 1983 the commission asked for £330,000 to be made available in the current financial year in addition to the approved grant-in-aid to cover two categories of expenditure. £130,000 was requested to enable the commission to fill vacant posts within its approved complement; and £200,000 was for grants to local community relations councils and other bodies, and for other discretionary expenditure. On 5 July the commission was informed that its request could not be met in full but that an additional £100,000 could be made available for expenditure in the second category only. This decision could not, of course, take into account any implications of the reduction in central Government cash limits announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 7 July.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans for further legislation or other measures in response to recommendations put forward by the Commission for Racial Equality in its annual report 1982; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrittanThe report brings a number of important issues to the attention of the Government but does not contain any specific recommendations addressed to me. The commission doeś, however, refer to its statutory duty to review the operation of the Race Relations Act 1976 and, when it thinks it necessary, to submit proposals for amendments to that Act. The report indicates that the commission intends to submit such proposals to me after a period of public consultation about them. When it does so I will consider what the commission has to say most carefully before reaching my own conclusions.