§ Dr. LadymanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 May 1998,Official Report, column 47, in respect of his plans to combat racial violence, if he will make a statement on 328W the impact of the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords] in combating attacks on foreign visitors, with particular reference to English language students. [42297]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Crime and Disorder Bill introduces new offences of racially aggravated violence, harassment and criminal damage. An offence will be racially aggravated if
at the time of committing the offence, or immediately before or after doing so, the offender demonstrates hostility based on the victim's membership of, or association with members of, a racial group; orthe offence is motivated wholly or partly by hostility towards members of a racial group."Racial group" means a group of persons defined by reference to race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins. We expect that foreign visitors would be covered by this definition.