Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 4 March (HL Deb col 1269), whether Commonwealth citizens who do not also hold British nationality are subject to any qualifying period before they are entitled to vote in UK elections.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Qualifying Commonwealth citizens are entitled to register as Parliamentary and as local government electors provided that on the relevant date, they also fulfil the age and residence requirements for such registration and are not subject to any other legal incapacity. A ‘qualifying Commonwealth citizen’ is defined as one who has leave to remain in the UK or does not require it. To register in a particular area, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen must meet the same residency requirements as any other person seeking to register. There is no additional qualifying period in electoral law; if a Commonwealth citizen has been granted leave to remain, or does not require it, they are entitled to register to vote subject to the conditions above.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has declined to lay before Parliament a draft statutory code submitted by an arm's-length body between January 2015 and December 2025, where that code has not been subject to litigation.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have no central record of declining to lay a draft statutory code submitted by an arm’s length body before Parliament.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government with how many and which media organisations they have shared the report of the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition since December 2025.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are taking the time to carefully consider the independent Working Group’s advice on a definition for anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia before confirming next steps in due course.
As per the Working Group’s Terms of Reference, advice provided by the Group was private for Ministers. As part of the Government’s careful consideration of the Working Group’s advice, officials have undertaken some limited and focused informal engagement with stakeholders, which did not include any media organisations.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the report of the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition, completed in autumn 2025.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are taking the time to carefully consider the independent Working Group’s advice on a definition for anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia before confirming next steps in due course.
As per the Working Group’s Terms of Reference, advice provided by the Group was private for Ministers. As part of the Government’s careful consideration of the Working Group’s advice, officials have undertaken some limited and focused informal engagement with stakeholders, which did not include any media organisations.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 14 January (HL13089), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, which public authorities are expected to adopt their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are still in the process of carefully considering the independent Working Group’s advice regarding a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 14 January (HL13088), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, when they will publish their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are still in the process of carefully considering the independent Working Group’s advice regarding a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 14 January (HL13090), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, whether they plan to publish examples of practices and biases within institutions that they consider to be relevant conduct under their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are still in the process of carefully considering the independent Working Group’s advice regarding a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 14 January (HL13091), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, whether they plan to carry out a public consultation in relation to their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are still in the process of carefully considering the independent Working Group’s advice regarding a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government which public authorities are expected to adopt their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The independent Working Group have now provided their advice to Ministers who are carefully taking the time to review and consider the advice carefully before confirming next steps in due course.
Any definition used by government will be non-statutory. It will enable government and other relevant bodies to have a greater understanding of unacceptable treatment and prejudice against Muslim communities.
The published terms of reference for the Working Group were clear that their advice on a definition must be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The independent Working Group have now provided their advice to Ministers who are carefully taking the time to review and consider the advice carefully before confirming next steps in due course.
Any definition used by government will be non-statutory. It will enable government and other relevant bodies to have a greater understanding of unacceptable treatment and prejudice against Muslim communities.
The published terms of reference for the Working Group were clear that their advice on a definition must be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression.