HC Deb 01 March 2000 vol 345 cc288-9W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish an independent public inquiry into the collapse of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress. [112464]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

I have aske d the incoming Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, Gurbux Singh, to consider urgently the lessons to be learned from the collapse of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress and to produce a report. I hope to indicate the time scale for the report shortly.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the report of the Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality into the collapse of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress to be completed; and if he will place the report in the Library when it is available. [112463]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

I have asked the incoming Chairman, Gurbux Singh, to undertake the review as a matter of urgency. The terms of reference and timetable for the review will be published shortly and the key findings of the review will be placed in the Library.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he plans to take in respect of the civil servants and members of the Commission for Racial Equality who are directors of Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd.; and what role his Department and the Commission for Racial Equality had in their appointment. [112462]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

My Department was not involved in the appointment of its Directors and no Home Office officials are Directors of the company.

The role of the Commission will be examined in the context of the review which I have asked the incoming Chairman, Gurbux Singh, to conduct.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2000,Official Report, column 863W, to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney), if he will place the accountants' report on Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd. in the Library. [112465]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

There are no plans to do so.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministers and officials in his Department were responsible for supervising the organisation of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress by Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd.; what was the nature of that supervision; and if he will make a statement. [112461]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The Commission for Racial Equality decided to stage the Cultural Diversity Congress and took a collective decision to set up Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd. to organise the event.

Operational supervision of the arrangements was a matter for the Commission.