§ Sir Dudley SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines he issues to the Race Relations Board over its encouragement and help of complainants in bringing cases before an industrial tribunal;
(2) whether, when next he meets the chairman of the Race Relations Board, he will discuss with him his policy of encouraging individuals to bring cases of complaint where those individuals have deliberately approached several companies for employment as a test exercise.
§ Mr. John PattenThe criteria on which the Commission for Racial Equality considers applications from complainants for assistance are laid down in section 66 of the Race Relations Act 1976. I am assured by its chairman that the commission would want to avoid supporting any complaint made as the result of a "test exercise" approach to a number of employers, as opposed to assisting genuine job applicants who complain of discrimination.
§ Sir Dudley SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider introducing legislation to compensate those people who are put to expense in defending actions brought before industrial142W tribunals with the support of the Race Relations Board where the case is dismissed or the complainant drops his or her allegations at a late stage.
§ Mr. John PattenI understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has no plans to extend the provisions in the Industrial Tribunals (Rules of Procedure) Regulations 1985 to cover the award of costs in all cases where a case is dismissed or dropped at a late stage.