§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Efford), on 19 April 1999,Official Report, column 468, what has been the outcome of the examination of the recommendations in the Lawrence report and what measures have been adopted to promote racial, religious, sex and disability equality. [95350]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 26 October 1999]: As I said in an earlier reply, the terms of reference of the Review of Criminal Justice and the Patten Report cover areas highlighted by the report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. The Criminal Justice Review team is due to report shortly and the Government are currently consulting on the recommendations of the independent Commission on Policing as required by the Good Friday Agreement. The Government will be making a statement 39W on the outcome of consultation on the Patten report, "A New Beginning: Policing in Northern Ireland", after that consultation is complete.
The Government remain committed to the principles of equality of treatment, respect for human rights and different cultures as fundamental elements of policing in Northern Ireland. Since April the Government have announced a number of significant measures. For example, the new Equality Commission for Northern Ireland was established on 1 October and the appointment of Mrs. O'Loan as Police Ombudsman Designate was announced on 11 October.
The report of the working group considering the treatment of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses in the criminal justice system was published in July. The group endorsed the recommendations made by a similar working group in England and Wales. In particular they recommended, and I agreed, that the provisions in the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, which relate to such witnesses, should be extended to Northern Ireland by means of Order in Council. This has now been done. The group is continuing to meet to oversee implementation of its recommendations.
Following the Report the Deputy Chief Constable of the RUC has taken responsibility for co-ordinating activities and action plans are being introduced. A Positive Action Team has been set up to progress ethnic minority recruitment. All probationers complete a Police Community Relations module dealing with equality and race relations legislation, human rights and harassment. Officers receive local training on how to respond effectively and sensitively to racial incidents. Family Liaison Officers have been established force-wide.
Local Community Affairs officers monitor racially motivated incidents as defined in the Lawrence Report. Community Affairs Branch in partnership with the Police Authority for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities supported by the Commission for Racial Equality have set up a Community and Police Liaison Committee with ethnic minority organisations. Contact has been established with the Chinese Welfare Association and a crime desk set up at the Indian Community Centre.