To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special initiatives he intends to take to enable minority groups to combat the problem of racial attacks.
The progress report on multi-agency work to tackle racial attacks and harassment, due to be published later this year, will contain good practice on how community and voluntary groups can work with the statutory agencies to combat this problem. The report of the Newham pilot project in multi-agency work, funded by the Home Office, will make specific recommendations for the involvement of the community in such initiatives. We will consider further advice to police and community consultative groups in tackling racial attacks. And we are assessing a number of bids for projects under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 to help tenants who suffer racial harassment.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional action Her Majesty's Government intends to take to combat the problem of racial attacks.
The Government are continuing to develop existing initiatives, including the rigorous monitoring of the response of the police service and other agencies to guidance on racial attacks and harassment. In addition, we are co-ordinating and assessing progress made by the statutory agencies. This will lead to the publication later this year of a report on developments since the racial attacks group report of 1989, which will provide practical guidance and information on national and local initiatives, and enable local agencies to make sustained progress in combating racial attacks. The report of the Newham pilot project in multi-agency work funded by the Home Office will also be published this year, and will provide local initiatives with specific advice and information in taking this work forward.