A/51/536 English Page 25 however, about the fact that several minority groups had no access to education in their own language and, when dealing with administrative and judicial matters, they were frequently precluded from using their own language. The increase in racist attitudes among the population, or of local authorities directed against Caucasians, especially Chechens, also gave cause for concern, as did indications of anti-Semitism among part of the population. The Committee recommended that appropriate measures be taken to ensure the promotion of minority languages as well as education programmes in the appropriate languages, and that special attention be paid to the minority groups living in the Northern Territories by taking effective measures to promote and protect their rights. 97. In its concluding observations on Finland (CERD/C/304/Add.7), the Committee expressed concern that the Romany minority continued to experience difficulties in exercising its rights, in particular in the educational field. It also noted that educational programmes contained insufficient information on minority rights issues. The Committee recommended that the State party do all in its power to enable Sami children to pursue their studies at the primary and secondary levels in their mother tongue. 98. In its concluding observations on Spain (CERD/C/304/Add.8), the Committee noted with satisfaction that the Gypsy development programme had been set up to improve the situation of Gypsies, in particular in the field of education and the promotion of the Gypsy culture. The Committee noted with concern, however, that in Catalonia and in the Basque Country, it might be difficult for the children of the Castilian-speaking minority to receive education in their mother tongue, and in that respect recommended that measures be taken by the authorities to ensure that Castilian-speaking children had the possibility of receiving education in Castilian in Catalonia and in the Basque Country. 99. In its concluding observations on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (CERD/C/304/Add.9), the Committee welcomed the new grants for education support and training, which were intended to increase the English skills of students from ethnic minority groups, thus raising the standards of academic achievement of these students. The Committee noted with serious concern that persons belonging to ethnic minority groups were under-represented in political and public life, as reflected in their representation among the voting public, the police and armed forces and holders of public office. The Committee recommended that the question of the citizenship status of Hong Kong residents belonging to ethnic minorities of Asian origin be reviewed to ensure that their human rights were protected. Forty-ninth session 100. At its forty-ninth session, the Committee had before it the following reports: Bolivia (CERD/C/281/Add.1), Brazil (CERD/C/263/Add.10), China (CERD/C/275/Add.2), Republic of Korea (CERD/C/258/Add.2), India (CERD/C/299/Add.3), Malta (CERD/C/262/Add.4), Mauritius (CERD/C/280/Add.2), Namibia (CERD/C/275/Add.1), Venezuela (CERD/C/263/Add.8/Rev.1) and Zaire (CERD/C/237/Add.2 and CERD/C/273/Add.1). 101. In its concluding observations on India (CERD/C/304/Add.13), the Committee affirmed that the situation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes fell /...