The CRE is concerned that the widening of powers on the use of restraint, to include its use to ensure 'good order and discipline' may impact disproportionately on ethnic minority children, who are already over-represented in the youth justice system.

The CRE is calling on parliamentarians to support the withdrawal of Statutory Instrument 1709, as we have serious concerns about any widening of the powers of staff in secure training centres to use restraint. We urge peers to attend the debate and vote against the Rules, in order that they may be annulled.

The CRE is grateful for the opportunity to respond to the Home Office consultation Planning Better Outcomes and Support for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. In our response, we focus on those proposals that are likely to have an impact on race equality or ethnic minority communities. The response is divided into two sections: (1) general comments; and (2) comments on specific proposals contained in the paper.

The CRE's parliamentary briefing on this bill, issued ahead of its reading in the House of Lords on Monday 25 June 2007.

Our latest briefing on this bill calls for an amendment to be made that will make the new probation trusts subject to the general statutory duty to promote race equality, which has applied hitherto to probation boards.

The CRE's submission to the Home Affairs Select Committee focuses on the relationship between ethnicity and offending, differential treatment, experiences and outcomes for ethnic minorities in the youth justice system, and the use of stop and search and anti-social behaviour orders.

This bill received its second reading in the House of Lords on 17 April 2007. This briefing sets out why the CRE believes it is important to retain a crucial current safeguard for race equality in the probation service, which will be lost if the Offender Management Bill passes into law as it stands.

In this briefing, issued ahead of the Bill's reading in the Commons today (16 April), the CRE states its view that the Bill should put firm legal provisions in place to prevent ongoing disproportionality of ethnic minorities in mental health services, and that all Approved Mental Health Professionals are bound by the statutory duty to promote race equality.

We have produced a shadow report to the UK government's report on fulfilling its obligations under the Council of Europe's Convention Protecting National Minorities, which you can download here.

The CRE's response to the consultation paper issued by the Commission for Integration and Cohesion. This fixed-term advisory body was established by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in June 2006 with the aim of establishing how 'local areas can make the most of the benefits delivered by increasing diversity...[and] respond to the tensions it can sometimes cause.'

The CRE has published a briefing on this bill, which receives its second reading in the Commons today (Monday 22 January).

This submission focuses on issues which disproportionately affect children from ethnic minority communities. The CRE is strongly urging the Inquiry to look specifically at the experiences of ethnic minority children when exploring the conditions for a good childhood, and the obstacles to those conditions.

This response sets out the CRE's specific concerns within the areas the inquiry is focusing on (healthcare, the use of detention for asylum seekers, treatment by the media) as well as the effect of far right political parties inciting racial hatred.

This submission aims to highlight those issues within the policy review that are of particular relevance to ethnic minority children and young people.
02 October 2006

03 August 2006

The CRE's briefing on the bill, prepared ahead of its second reading in the House of Lords on 21 June 2006
06 July 2006

Recent events, such as the death of Chinese cockle workers at Morecambe Bay last year and the continuing enforced slavery of young women from Eastern Europe and elsewhere, have brought into sharp focus the urgent need to act against labour and sex trafficking in the UK. Our response sets out the CRE's concerns over the Home Office's action plan, which was published in January.
07 April 2006

The CRE feels that, if this bill is to improve the position of ethnic minority learners in education, it must compel all schools make clear what their contribution is to community cohesion. The Schools Commissioner should make positive and active steps towards addressing potential uneven take up of Trust schools by ethnic minority populations, and policies should be directed by the need to reduce the differential rates of progress and attainment of different ethnic minorities.
15 March 2006

This latest briefing was prepared ahead of the Bill's third reading in the House of Lords on 14 March. It describes our concerns that the provisions combating illegal working may stigmatise ethnic minorities in the workplace, impact on the employment of legal migrants and UK ethnic minorities, and potentially have adverse effects on good race relations. We also believe that civil penalties and repeat checks on certain employees subject to immigration control is not in the spirit of race relations legislation and could be divisive within workforces.
10 March 2006

Whilst the CRE remains committed to the CEHR and the successful passage of the Equality Bill, we do have serious concerns that there are needs that the CEHR will not address. These include basic community relations, tackling extremism, terrorism and race hatred at a local level. We are also concerned about the long term security of funding for local race equality organisations, like the Race Equality Councils. To address these concerns, the CRE proposes the government give support to create a new body to deal with issues to do with community relations, civic engagement and citizenship – outside of the CEHR and outside of the CEHR bill.
16 January 2006

This briefing sets out the CRE's position on the Bill ahead of its final reading in the Lords. It outlines our concerns over the failure to conduct a full race equality impact assessment of the Bill's proposals, and the inadequacies of the partial assessment that was carried out.
16 January 2006

Read the CRE's briefing on the Bill as it reaches committee stage in the House of Lords.
09 January 2006

This briefing focuses on issues arising in Part 1 of the Bill, which seeks to remove the public sector monopoly on the provision of probation services and enable the Secretary of State to commission services from providers in the public, private or voluntary sector.

Response of the Commission for Racial Equality to questions on the respect and implementation of declaration on human rights defenders. For the Special Representative of the Secretary General on the situation of human rights defenders, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
28 November 2005

The CRE welcomes the amendments to the Bill in the Lords that addressed many of our earlier concerns, and the phased entry process which will see the CRE continue its work until April 2009. However, we remain concerned about the absence of an obligation to consider approaches from individuals on cases of discrimination, and we consider it unfortunate that references to harassment were removed from the Bill in the Lords.
21 November 2005

The CRE recommends that the Government counter-terrorism proposals and existing legislation should be placed within the Race Equality Duty legal framework established through s.71(1) and s.71(2) of the Race Relations Act. This briefing also highlights our concerns over the implications of certain measures within the bill for for good race and faith relations.
21 November 2005

In July 2005, the Government published its Green Paper, which set out ways to radically re-shape services for young people. It described how outcomes could be improved for all young people, with a particular emphasis on those who are disadvantaged.
09 November 2005

We welcome the Government’s announcement of a Commission. Given that the proposed Commission is time-limited, we believe that it could focus its energies primarily on what the CRE considers to be the most urgent part of our integration agenda, namely the drift towards greater segregation in our society.
21 October 2005

Read the CRE's latest briefing on the Equality Bill, as it reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords.
19 October 2005

This briefing outlines the CRE's main concerns and recommendations as the Bill reaches Committee Stage in the House of Commons on 18 October.
17 October 2005

This briefing sets out our position on the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill, which received its second reading in the House of Lords on Wednesday 11 October 2005.
11 October 2005

This response outlines the CRE's position on the Home Office's proposals announced by the prime minister on 5 August.
24 August 2005

Written evidence given by the CRE to the Zahid Mubarek Inquiry on 13 July 2005.
13 July 2005

We have published a parliamentary briefing on the Equality Bill ahead of its second reading in the House of Lords on Wednesday (June 15). The Bill will pave the way towards the introduction of a Commission for Equality and Human Rights in October 2007. Our briefing expresses the CRE's support for the introduction of the Bill, and discusses a number of issues in the legislation which we remain concerned about.
13 June 2005

During an election, issues become very closely identified with particular political parties. At such times, it may be especially difficult for racial equality councils (RECs) to steer a clear, principled path without getting drawn into party politics. There are very clear legal restrictions affecting participation by RECs in election campaigns and debates. This briefing has been prepared to summarise the relevant law and its application to the activities of RECs.
09 April 2005

The CRE has produced a briefing in response to requests from local councils, schools, and community organisations for advice on how to maintain and promote good race relations during an election period.
08 April 2005

The CRE welcomes Government proposals to introduce legislation to afford individuals protection from incitement to religious hatred, which we see as a necessary legislative measure to ensure all are treated equally before the law.
18 March 2005

The CRE has considered the likely impact on race equality and race relations of the proposals in the Identity Cards Bill. This briefing contains an initial assessment of whether the provisions of the Bill overcome these concerns or make adequate provision for safeguards.
16 March 2005

Text of the CRE's response to 'Fairness for All', a white paper setting out the Government's proposals for a new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.
23 August 2004