The government said that it remained sympathetic to creating an offence of incitement to religious hatred. (An amendment to the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill 2001 creating such an offence was dropped following opposition in the House of Lords.)
Source: Religious Offences: The government reply to the report from the Religious Offences Committee Session 2002-03 HL 95, Cm 6091, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
An official advisory group made recommendations to the government on how to make sure all new citizens could speak English and have an understanding of United Kingdom institutions. Proposals included a short practical course and assessment in both language and citizenship, which all prospective Britons would be expected to complete. The government said the proposals would 'help promote the Government s aim of engendering common values and a sense of belonging'.
Source: Life in the United Kingdom Advisory Group, The New and the Old, Home Office (imran.khan@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk) | Press release 3 September 2003, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Report (pdf) | Home Office press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A paper argued a case for breaking down barriers between 'sociological' and 'psychological' approaches to researching identity, with reference to a qualitative study of national and ethnic identities in older primary school children in Wales.
Source: Jonathon Scourfield and Andrew Davies, National and Ethnic Identities in Children: Reflections on social processes and disciplinary tensions, Working Paper 37, School of Social Sciences/Cardiff University (029 2087 5179)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Aug
The government established a Faith Community Liaison Group (chaired by a junior Home Office minister), designed to give Christian organisations and other faith groups a greater say in policy-making and ensure that faith played a key role in government decisions. The working group will include Christians, Jewish, Sikh, Muslim and Hindu representatives. The initiative was welcomed by the Christian Socialist movement: but the Conservative Christian Fellowship said that the two-year delay in launching the group (originally announced in 2001) did not suggest there was an urgency in government to seriously engage with the churches.
Source: Press release, August 2003, Christian Socialist Movement (020 7233 3736) | Press release 8.8.03, Conservative Christian Fellowship (020 7984 8160)
Links: CSM press release | Evangelical Alliance press release | CCF press release | Hansard
Date: 2003-Aug
The government launched a new Race Equality Advisory Panel. The panel consisted of 25 people from minority ethnic communities, chosen to reflect ethnicity, faith, gender, age and geographical location. The purpose of the panel would be to help develop the Home Office s strategy on race equality; advise on implementing and delivering existing policies/programmes; provide ad hoc advice on specific topics; and provide a link to minority ethnic communities.
Source: Press release 27.6.03, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release
Date: 2003-Jun
A report highlighted failings in the way the government interacts with the Muslim community, particularly in education, the legal system, and the failure to make religious discrimination unlawful.
Source: Muhammad Anwar and Qadir Bakhsh, British Muslims and State Policies, Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations/University of Warwick (02476 524870)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Feb
The Northern Ireland Executive began consultation on a race equality strategy, and announced the creation of a Northern Ireland Race Forum. The Forum will be made up of representatives from government departments, statutory bodies, community/voluntary organisations and members of minority ethnic communities: it will help the NIE to develop a finalised strategy and action plan.
Source: Race Equality Strategy: Consultation document, Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Consultation Document (pdf) | Consultation Document | NIE press release
Date: 2003-Feb
The interim report was published (for consultation) of an independent panel examining the issue of citizenship. It recommended that citizenship should be granted to those applicants who can demonstrate that their English has progressed and are able to answer questions on living in the United Kingdom.
Source: Life in the United Kingdom Advisory Group, The New and the Old: The interim report for consultation, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Report | Press release
Date: 2003-Jan