§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which(a) his Department and (b) other Government Departments, non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies are institutionally racist; what criteria he uses to define institutional racism; and if he will make a statement. [121996]
§ >Mr. Straw[pursuant to his reply, 12 May 2000, c. 519W]: The information contained in the third paragraph was incorrect. That paragraph of the reply should have read:
The Government are determined that the public sector should lead on race equality. The legislation currently going through Parliament will, when enacted, outlaw discrimination in public functions not currently covered by the Race Relations Act 1976, place a positive duty on all public authorities to promote race equality, and prove a key lever in tackling institutional racism.