Racially Motivated Attacks

HC Deb 16 January 1986 vol 89 cc622-3W

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from each chief of police listing the number of racially motivated attacks that have been recorded in each of the last five years; and what special measures they have taken to deal with this problem;

(2) if he has knowledge of any police force that does not record racially motivated attacks;

(3) what advice or guidelines have been issued to police forces in the recording of and the dealing with racially motivated attacks.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Information on the incidence of racially motivated attacks and on the recording practices of individual police forces is not held centrally. However, in October last year the Association of Chief Police Officers issued guidance on the handling of racial attacks. The guidance, a copy of which I am placing in the Library, emphasised the importance of a vigorous and sympathetic police response, and drew attention to the need for collecting and collating reliable local information about racial incidents. My right hon. Friend has asked the Chief Inspector of Constabulary to pay particular attention in his annual inspections to the steps taken in each force to record and monitor racially motivated incidents.