§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racially motivated attacks have occurred in(a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanThe information available centrally relates to reported racial incidents, rather than racial 247W attacks, as defined by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Figures for Merseyside are given in the table. Information for Liverpool is not collected centrally.
Number of racial incidents in Merseyside Year Number of incidents 1988 136 1989 123 1990 144 1991 162 1992 134 ACPO definition: Any incident in which it appears to the reporting or investigating officer that the complaint involves an element of racial motive, or any incidents which include allegations of racial motivation made by any person.
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to combat racially motivated crimes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his question on 3 March 1994 at column 821-22 for details of the practical steps being taken by the Government to combat racial violence. Since then, the Secretary of State has tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill to make section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986—publication or distribution of written material intended or likely to stir up racial hatred —an arrestable offence. The Government are also studying ways to deal with persistent harassment. Any further steps will be taken in the light of the report of the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into racial attacks and harassment when it is published.