Race and faith organisations discuss racism and religious discrimination

The Youth Select Committee hears oral evidence from a range of witnesses on the topic of racism and religious discrimination on Friday 15 July in the Grimond Room, Portcullis House.

Inquiry

The Youth Select Committee, now in its fifth year, is exploring how to tackle racism and religious discrimination, particularly focussing on:

awareness and education
services
prevention

Further information on the topic is available in the inquiry's terms of reference.

Representatives from the Department for Education and the Department for Communities and Local Government, race and faith organisations, and the police will discuss tackling race and religious discrimination with the Committee.

Witnesses

15 July 2016, The Grimond Room, Portculiis House

9.45am, Panel 1 - Race organisations

Lorraine Sweeney, Youth Co-Ordinator and joint Chief Executive, London Gypsy and Traveller Unit
Paul Anderson, Chief Executive, VOYAGE
Jabeer Butt, Deputy Chief Executive, Race Equality Foundation

10.45am, Panel 2 - Faith organisations

Danny Stone, Group Secretary, APPG on Anti-Semitism
Richard Verber, Senior Vice President and Chair of the International Division, The Board of Deputies of British Jews
Representative of the Muslim Council of Britain

At 11.45pm, Panel 3 - Police

Sgt Janet Hills, National Black Police Association
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, Head of Legacy and Justice Department and Lead on Hate Crime, National Police Chiefs' Council

At 1.30pm, Panel 4 - National and local bodies

Richard Keyte, Head of Research, Equality and Human Rights Commission

At 2.30pm, Panel 5 - Government Departments

Paul Downie, Deputy Director for Faith and Integration, Department for Communities and Local Government
Anne Frost, Character, Resilience and Disadvantage, Department for Education
Sophie Taylor, Department for Education

Chair's comment

Bronagh Hughes, 17, Chair of the Youth Select Committee from Northern Ireland said:

"In the UK today, racism and religious discrimination are ever more prevalent and divisive issues in society that need to be addressed. The fact that this topic was chosen by the UK Youth Parliament in their debate last November, highlights that young people today feel that more must be done to tackle it. It's important that young people engage with politics and as a Committee we looking forward to hearing from a range of individuals and organisations on the work that they do to help tackle these issues."

Background

The Youth Select Committee is a British Youth Council initiative, supported by the House of Commons. The Committee has eleven committee members aged 14-19 and includes Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs), youth councillors, a young mayor and one elected representative from each of the devolved nations.