HL Deb 27 April 1994 vol 554 cc40-1WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why, further to their Answers of 11 April 1994 [WA 75–76] and 12 April 1994 [WA 88–89], a full description of the legislative proposals of the Equal Opportunities Commission for Great Britain and for Northern Ireland is considered "irrelevant" in the context of the Government's next report to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, whereas a copy of the legislative proposals of the Commission for Racial Equality contained in the Second Review of the Race Relations Act 1976 and of the Government's response are considered sufficiently relevant to be included in their next report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment (Lord Henley)

Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women requires that states parties should report on progress in legislative, judicial, administrative or other measuresadopted. The Government will include in its next report to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women a description of the Equal Opportunities Commission's proposals on which it has agreed to act, but a detailed account of all the Commission's proposals would not be relevant to the report.

As the Government are still considering the Commission for Racial Equality's proposals on the Race Relations Act, a copy of the report will be attached for information to the UK Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The Government will provide the United Nations Committee with details of their response when available.