Race Relations and Equal Opportunity (Hansard, 10 March 1989)

§ Mr. John Patten

[holding answer 14 February 1989]: Since 1979, the Home Office has taken, or been closely concerned with, a range of initiatives in respect of race relations and equal opportunity. These include:

Race Relations—General

The law relating to incitement to racial hatred was strengthened by the introduction of part III of the Public Order Act 1986. Other amendments to the Race Relations Act 1976 extended its employment provisions to offshore employment; applied it to decisions on planning and gave the Commission for Racial Equality power to issue codes of practice on rented housing. Under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, substantial funding has been directed by the Department to local authority services addressing the special needs of ethnic minorities of Commonwealth origin, for example for teaching English as a second language and for promoting better access to a wide range of services. The amount of local authority expenditure supported by this 75 per cent. grant has increased from £46.2 million in 1979–80 to an estimated £140 million in 1988–89. At the same time, the criteria for grant have been successively revised in the interests of ensuring that work is targeted and expenditure represents value for money. The report of an efficiency scrutiny, currently under consideration, provides an opportunity further to improve the effectiveness of the system.

Grants have also been made by the Home Office to national and key local organisations working to relieve racial disadvantage. These, and section 11 grants, support the ethnic minority business initiative under which the business advice needs of multi-racial communities are met by specially tailored enterprise agencies or outreach workers. EMBI is helping ethnic minority businesses to achieve their full potential within the mainstream economy and is stimulating the growth of new business.

The Department continues to support the Commission for Racial Equality in its work towards the elimination of discrimination and promotion of equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different groups. Its own Advisory Council on Race Relations continues to provide Ministers from all Government Departments with useful advice on race relations issues. Its two community relations consultants work within the Home Office and inter-related services to assist consideration of race relations policies and their implementation, particularly through training. Firm but fair immigration controls, which have a place in our strategies for good race relations, have been maintained and a rolling programme of visits to community relations councils and other ethnic minority organisations instituted to further understanding of policy and procedures. In furtherance of its commitment to treat all its customers and staff fairly, regardless of race, colour or ethnic or cultural origin, the Immigration Department has issued a policy statement on race relations to all its staff.

Equal Opportunity—General

A ministerial group on women's issues was set up in 1986 under Home Office chairmanship. It published in 1987 the Government's response to the forward-looking 15W strategies for the advancement of women which were adopted at the 1985 world conference at Nairobi, which ended the UN decade for women. The group also oversaw the preparation of the initial report to the United Nations on the UN convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, which was ratified by the United Kingdom in 1986.

The procedure for making appointments to public bodies was reviewed with the object of making information on the appointments and the qualifications required available to women's organisations, and of ensuring that suitable women are included on short lists for appointments.

Equal Opportunity and Race Relations—General

Model guidance is being issued to all Departments to ensure that officials consider the equal opportunity and race relations aspects of all policy proposals to ensure that they comply with the Government's legal obligations and commitment to equality of opportunity.

Race Relations—Criminal Justice System

The Home Office has supported the police service in a wide range of initiatives including its increased recruitment of police officers from the ethnic minorities, improved training, the formation of community relations departments and policies for tackling racial harassment. In addition, racially discriminatory behaviour has been made an offence under the police discipline code.

The Department is committed to the elimination of racial harassment and, amongst other things, has led an interdepartmental working group on racial attacks and harassment. This group has examined the scope for a multi-agency approach for dealing with racial harassment and will publish its report shortly.

Home Office circular 75/88, introducing the Home Office statement on race issues in the probation service, asked each area committee to adopt and publicise a similar policy and provided a check list to monitor progress. Ethnic monitoring of students sponsored by the Home Office for certificate in qualification for social work courses has started and, following two surveys, the results of which were published in two Home Office statistical bulletins, work is progressing towards a permanent system of monitoring the probation caseload and probation staff.

In 1986, a public policy statement dealing with race relations in prisons was issued: race relations liaison officers have been appointed at all establishments and in most establishments there is also a race relations management team. A directory and guide on minority religious faiths in the prison service has also been issued, and monitoring of the ethnic composition of prisoners has been introduced together with local monitoring of regime services and activities. The provision of race relations training has been increased at all levels.

Equal Opportunity—Criminal Justice System

The Government gave support to the passing of the Sexual Offences Act 1983 which increased penalties for attempted rape and indecent assault and penalised kerb-crawling.

In 1986, a circular was issued to the police urging them to improve their assistance to women who have been the victims of violent attack. The Criminal Justice Act 1987 extends anonymity for rape victims and provides for compensation payments to women who keep a child conceived as a result of rape.

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The Home Office as Employer

Since 1979, an equal opportunities policy as it relates to staff has been formally promulgated, with two equal opportunities officers to ensure policy is put into practice. To promote opportunities for women, a number of measures, including facilities for part-time working, job-sharing, flexible working hours and arrangements for special leave to cope with domestic difficulties have been introduced or extended. Opposite sex postings in the prison service have recently been introduced to broaden career opportunities.

Since 1987 all recruitment schemes have been monitored. Over 5 per cent. of Home Office respondents to the staff in-post surveys of ethnic origin say they are from an ethnic minority. Recruitment advertising campaigns take account of the need to attract ethnic minority applicants, and the Home Office is currently taking part in a pilot scheme to provide training for near-miss EO candidates, which has attracted considerable interest among ethnic minority applicants.