§ Mr. Bernie GrantTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policies he has to tackle racism within the prison service.
§ Mr. Hurd[holding answer 5 November 1987]: We are committed to a policy of racial equality and to the elimination of discrimination in all aspects of the work of the prison service. The strategies adopted for implementing that policy include:
- (a) the promulgation of a succinct public policy statement, to be drawn to the attention of all inmates, staff, members of boards of visitors and local review committees and others who have regular dealings with establishments;
- (b) the establishment of a clear accountability for the implementation of the policy at establishment level; for this purpose a race relations check-list and statement of responsibilities has been introduced; and governors have been recommended to set up local race relations management teams;
- (c) the establishment of central machinery to disseminate advice and guidance and to monitor performance as regards the implementation of the policy;
- (d) the development and improvement of race relations training for all grades of staff; and
- (e) efforts to increase ethnic minority recruitment to the service and to boards of visitors and local review committees.
Details of the initiatives at (a) to (c) are given in circular instructions 32/1986, a copy of which is in the Library.