§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures is he taking to combat racism in Scotland. [62088]
161W
§ Mr. McLeishThe Government are firmly committed to combating racism in all its forms. In Scotland, we have taken steps to meet the Government's commitment to put racial equality at the heart of our policy agenda by introducing new measures in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to deal with racially aggravated offences; working with key agencies such as the NHS and the Employment Service to make services more accessible to minority communities; and promoting racial equality projects through funding the Ethnic Minority Grant Scheme. The Scottish Social Inclusion Strategy recognises the exclusion that some minority communities face, and we have made equal opportunity a key principle to underpin the Scottish Parliament so that it can be responsive to the whole range of Scottish society.
I plan to meet the Commission for Racial Equality shortly to discuss how we can work together to raise the profile of racial equality in Scotland as we look ahead to the Parliament. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has demonstrated his own personal commitment to racial equality by signing up to the Commission's Leadership Challenge.