§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the principal functions of the Community Relations Unit and set out its priorities for 1999 and 2000. [91535]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe aims of the Race Equality Unit (formerly the Community Relations Unit) for 1999–2000 are to promote race equality and to increase ethnic minority representation in the public sector. This includes
developing, implementing and monitoring race equality employment targets for the Home Office Services;launching a new grant scheme to promote race equality;contributing to and, where appropriate, giving a lead on race equality issues internationally;developing policy on religious discrimination and other faith issues;support for the Home Secretary's Race Relations Forum which provides ethnic minorities with an effective voice at the heart of government;reviewing the effectiveness of the criminal law in race relations; andsupporting the reception of refugees including the Kosovan Humanitarian Evacuation Programme.