§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the report by the Commission for Racial Equality on the draft Code of Practice on the duty to promote race equality will be placed before Parliament; how many consultees received the document(a) before 1 January 2002, (b) between that date and 25 January and (c) after that date; how many from each category have responded to the consultation; what the total cost was of the consultation pack and the cost per pack distributed; and if he will make a statement on the ability of elected authorities to respond within limited time. [41926]
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§ Angela Eagle[holding answer 11 March 2002]: The Commission for Racial Equality is currently revising the draft Code of Practice in the light of comments received during the consultation period. A date for laying the Code of Practice before Parliament will be decided once I have approved the final draft.
The Commission for Racial Equality has advised me that about 45,000 consultation packs were distributed and some 900 responses have been received to date. A breakdown by date of dispatch is not available and the analysis by category of respondent is not yet complete. The cost of printing 55,000 packs and distributing 45,000 was £127,690.
The consultation period ran from the launch of the draft code of practice and supporting good practice guidance on 3 December 2001 until 28 February 2002. This proved sufficient time for some 900 individual and representative bodies to respond.
However, I am informed by the Commission for Racial Equality that distribution problems arose with parish councils. Difficulty in gaining access to addresses meant that only 3,000 packs were sent to parish councils in December 2001. A further 5,000 packs were due for dispatch in January 2002, but regrettably, a number were not sent out until late February 2002.
I am advised that, to date, 26 parish councils, including Totland and St. Helens parish councils from the hon. Member's own constituency, have complained to the Commission for Racial Equality about the late arrival of their packs. The Commission for Racial Equality has given these parish councils an extension until 15 March 2002.