§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many complaints of racial discrimination have been taken to the Commission for Racial Equality in respect of soldiers serving in the British Army; and how many have been found to be proven;
(2) how many complaints of racial discrimination have been taken to the Commission for Racial Equality in respect of soldiers serving in the Prince of Wale's Division; and how many have been found to be proven.
§ Mr. Freeman[holding answer 9 March 1988]: Under the Race Relations Act 1976 the Race Relations Board and the Community Relations Commission were replaced by the Commission for Racial Equality. Section 75(8) and (9) of that Act provides that a complaint of racial discrimination which is made by a person subject to the Service Discipline Acts and which is concerned with any aspect of that person's service in the armed forces will be 292W dealt with under the redress of grievance machinery provided for in the Service Discipline Acts. There have been no cases of redress of grievance of a racial nature which have been referred to the Ministry of Defence.