§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his Department's policy to disqualify organisations that commit acts of race discrimination from being contractors with the national health service. [15664]
§ Mr. HoramAll national health service contractors are expected to comply with their statutory obligations under the Race Relations Act 1976 or any enactment relating to discrimination in employment, and to take reasonable steps to secure their observance by staff or agents employed in the performance of any NHS contract. Where a contractor is in serious or continuing breach of this requirement in a particular case, without taking remedial action, the NHS trust or authority concerned has the option of disqualification or termination, depending on the local circumstances of the case.