Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Ninetieth session
2-26 August 2016
Item 4 of the provisional agenda
Consideration of reports, comments and information submitted by States parties under article 9 of the Convention
List of themes in relation to the twenty-first to twenty-third periodic reports of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Note by the Country Rapporteur
1.The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination decided at its seventy-sixth session (see A/65/18, para. 85) that the Country Rapporteur would send to the State party concerned a short list of themes with a view to guiding and focusing the dialogue between the State party’s delegation and the Committee during the consideration of the State party’s report. The present document contains a list of such themes. It is not an exhaustive list; other issues may also be raised in the course of the dialogue. No written replies are required.
Legal and institutional framework for the implementation of the Convention and access to justice (arts. 1-4 and 6)
2.Detailed information on domestic legislation prohibiting racial discrimination in accordance with the definition contained in article 1 (1) of the Convention, and its application in all the State party’s jurisdictions, including its overseas territories and Crown dependencies (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 10; CERD/C/GBR/21-23, paras. 1 and 2). Updated information on the status of the legislative reform of the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order (1997) (CERD/C/GBR/21-23, para. 14).
3.Progress made in prohibiting discrimination based on descent, as elaborated in the Committee’s general recommendation No. 29 (2002) on article 1 (1) of the Convention (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 30).
4.The implementation of the rights contained in the Convention in the State party’s overseas territories and Crown dependencies, including updated information on the situation in the British Indian Ocean Territory and the return of Chagossians (Ilois) to Diego Garcia and other outlying islands (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 12).
5.Information on cases in which corporations registered in the State party have been held accountable for breaches of the Convention, including with regard to their operations abroad and in particular, violations of the rights of indigenous peoples (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 29).
6.Detailed information on legislative provisions that prohibit the dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, incitement to racial discrimination or acts of violence, and organizations that promote and incite racial discrimination.
7.Information on cases of racist hate speech and hate crimes, including the number of complaints, investigations launched, prosecutions, convictions and remedies provided to victims, and information on cases in which racial motivation has been considered an aggravating circumstance.
8.The justification for maintaining the reservation to article 4 of the Convention, particularly in the light of the Committee’s general recommendation No. 35 (2013) on combating racist hate speech (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 11; CERD/C/GBR/21-23, para. 54).
9.Information on the scope of legal aid and representation available to ethnic minorities, asylum seekers, refugees, victims of trafficking and other persons in vulnerable situations.
Discrimination against national or ethnic minorities (arts. 2 - 7)
10.Information on the representation of ethnic minorities in the executive branch, Parliament, political parties, the police force, the criminal justice system and other public bodies, including the public broadcasting sector (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 22; CERD/C/GBR/21-23, paras. 89-95).
11.Detailed and updated information on the use of “stop and search” powers by the police, and the impact of measures taken to eliminate the disproportionate impact of the use of those powers on ethnic minority groups (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 18; CERD/C/GBR/21-23, paras. 84-88).
12.Updated information on measures taken to implement the recommendations contained in the final report of the Riot Communities and Victims Panel of March 2012 (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 9; CERD/C/GBR/21-23, para. 28).
13.Information and statistical data on the prosecution and sentencing of individuals belonging to ethic minority groups, including children, and the impact of measures taken to address the overrepresentation of ethnic minority groups in the criminal justice system.
14.Updated statistical information on unemployment trends based on ethnicity (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 25; CERD/C/GBR/21-23, paras. 120-129).
15.Updated statistics on school attainment and exclusion, disaggregated by ethnicity, and information on the impact of measures taken to address underachievement and the high exclusion rate of students from ethnic minority backgrounds, as well as racist bullying and name-calling in schools (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, paras. 23 and 24; CERD/C/GBR/21-23, para. 210).
16.Updated statistics on access to social housing and on rates of homelessness, disaggregated by ethnicity, and information on measures taken to address substandard housing conditions and overcrowded housing for ethnic minority groups (CERD/C/GBR/21-23, paras. 130-144).
17.Progress achieved in improving the socioeconomic situation of Gypsies and Travellers, including their access to education, health care, employment and housing (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20, para. 27; CERD/C/GBR/21-23, paras. 110-117).
18.Obstacles faced by Roma in accessing education, health care, employment and housing and measures taken by the State party.
19.Information on the impact of measures taken to combat racial stereotypes and bias in the media and among the general public (CERD/C/GBR/CO/18-20) and racism in sports.
20.The impact of measures taken to address inequalities in health and access to health care based on ethnicity.
Situation of non-citizens, including migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons (arts. 5 and 7)
21.Information and updated statistics on the number of asylum seekers and migrants held in immigration centres, including children, and on the conditions and the range of services provided during their stay in the centres, and clarification on the statutory time limit and judicial oversight for detention.
22.Information on the situation of migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons, particularly in relation to access to education, housing, health services and employment, and information on cases of exploitation and forced labour of migrants and the outcomes of those cases, including prosecutions, convictions and remedies provided to victims.
23.Information on the measures taken or planned to address racial discrimination as a result of xenophobic political discourse.
Training, education and other measures to combat prejudice and intolerance (art. 7)
24.The adoption of a national strategy or plan of action to fully implement the provisions of the Convention and to eliminate structural discrimination.
25.Information on any training programmes or courses provided to Government officials, the judiciary, federal and State law enforcement officials, teachers, social workers and other public officials to raise awareness about the Convention and its provisions.
26.The inclusion of the history and culture of different ethnic groups in the State party, including people of African descent, in the curricula and textbooks for primary and secondary schools.