Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to regulate the download of anonymity network broswers.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The National Crime Agency and UK Intelligence Community regularly assess the threat to the UK from the use of online anonymity networks by criminals and terrorists. This information, which includes the details of those who were subsequently convicted under the Terrorism Act 2006 for using these networks is operationally sensitive.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people convicted under the Terrorism Act 2006 since November 2016 were found to be using anonymity network browsers.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The National Crime Agency and UK Intelligence Community regularly assess the threat to the UK from the use of online anonymity networks by criminals and terrorists. This information, which includes the details of those who were subsequently convicted under the Terrorism Act 2006 for using these networks is operationally sensitive.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the prevalence of online anonymity network usage since the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 came into effect in November 2016.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The National Crime Agency and UK Intelligence Community regularly assess the threat to the UK from the use of online anonymity networks by criminals and terrorists. This information, which includes the details of those who were subsequently convicted under the Terrorism Act 2006 for using these networks is operationally sensitive.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the list of vulnerabilities and warning signs tutors are advised to look out for as part of Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent training.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent training provides attendees with case studies to help build an understanding of how to recognise potentially vulnerable individuals who may be at risk of radicalisation, and how to share concerns so that the right support can be offered when it is required. All the case studies used in the training are based on real-life accounts. Feedback from attendees of WRAP training is consistently positive, and the content of the product is frequently revised and updated.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Prevent Strategy in countering radicalisation.
Answered by Ben Wallace
Prevent is a key part of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST). Prevent safeguards and supports individuals who are vulnerable to exploitation for radical purposes. Prevent is working. It is has made a significant impact in preventing people being drawn into terrorism.
Working with industry and the police we have secured the removal of 220,000 pieces of terrorist material since February 2010. Since 2012, over 1000 people have received support through our Channel programme which safeguards those most at risk of radicalisation. More than 150 attempted journeys to the Syria/Iraq conflict area were disrupted in 2015. This includes action by the family courts. The courts have protected 50 children (from around 20 families) from being taken to the conflict area in 2015. To build resilience in communities against radicalisation in 2015/16, we have delivered 142 projects reaching over 42,000 participants.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which parliamentary constituencies do not fall entirely within the 90 per cent coverage of the 4G replacement system being considered as sole bidder for Emergency Services as part of the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) will provide geographic coverage to 97% of the country (including the 90% required by the Regulator) by requiring the Mobile Services supplier to infill commercial coverage area and extend their network over sites provided by ESMCP’s Extended Area Services (EAS) project.
Listed below are the Parliamentary Constituencies that do not fall entirely within the 90% coverage (as required by the Regulator), and those that do not fall entirely within the 97% coverage (with a further 7% provided by ESN) are:
Parliamentary Constituency | Not met 90% | Not met 97% |
Aberavon Co Const | * | * |
Aberconwy Co Const | * | |
Angus Co Const | * | * |
Arfon Co Const | * | |
Barrow and Furness Co Const | * | |
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk Co Const | * | * |
Bishop Auckland Co Const | * | |
Brecon and Radnorshire Co Const | * | * |
Bridgwater and West Somerset Co Const | * | * |
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Co Const | * | * |
Central Devon Co Const | * | |
Clwyd South Co Const | * | * |
Clwyd West Co Const | * | * |
Copeland Co Const | * | * |
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale Co Const | * | * |
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow Co Const | * | |
Hexham Co Const | * | * |
High Peak Co Const | * | |
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Co Const | * | * |
Kilmarnock and Loudoun Co Const | * | |
Lancaster and Fleetwood Co Const | * | |
Ludlow Co Const | * | * |
Montgomeryshire Co Const | * | * |
North Devon Co Const | * | |
Ochil and South Perthshire Co Const | * | * |
Penrith and The Border Co Const | * | |
Perth and North Perthshire Co Const | * | * |
Ribble Valley Co Const | * | * |
Richmond (Yorks) Co Const | * | * |
Scarborough and Whitby Co Const | * | |
Skipton and Ripon Co Const | * | * |
South West Wiltshire Co Const | * | |
Stirling Co Const | * | * |
Thirsk and Malton Co Const | * | * |
Totnes Co Const | * | |
Westmorland and Lonsdale Co Const | * | |
West Dunbartonshire Co Const | * | |
Dwyfor Meirionnydd Co Const | * | * |
Ceredigion Co Const | * | * |
Torridge and West Devon Co Const | * | |
North Cornwall Co Const | * | |
Berwick-upon-Tweed Co Const | * | * |
South East Cornwall Co Const | * | |
South West Devon Co Const | * | |
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Co Const | * | * |
Ross, Skye and Lochaber Co Const | * | * |
Moray Co Const | * | * |
Na h-Eileanan an Iar Co Const | * | * |
Argyll and Bute Co Const | * | * |
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Co Const | * | * |
Gordon Co Const | * | |
East Lothian Co Const | * | |
North Ayrshire and Arran Co Const | * | * |
Dumfries and Galloway Co Const | * | * |
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Co Const | * | |
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Co Const | * | * |
Preseli Pembrokeshire Co Const | * |
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will revise the bidding procurement process for the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme in order to increase the number of bidders for the provision of mobile services.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) Mobile Services procurement attracted all national mobile network operators and on 13 November announced its intention to award a contract to EE. Subject to an application decision in the High Court on 8-9 December to lift the automatic suspension, following a challenge by one of the down-selected bidders, EE will be awarded the contract for Mobile Services.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to protect LGBT people from homophobic attacks.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The UK Government takes all forms of hate crime very seriously. We deplore all attacks motivated by religion, race or sexuality. Everyone should be able to live their lives free from fear of targeted hostility, harassment or violence
on the grounds of a particular characteristic.
The Government’s action plan on hate crime brings together the activities of government departments that work with local agencies, voluntary organisations and an independent advisory group to meet three main objectives to challenge
attitudes and behaviours, increase the reporting of hate crime, and improve the operational response to it.
Our work includes encouraging anyone who is a victim of a hate crime or subject to religion or race-related abuse or attack to have the confidence to report it to the police so that the offenders can be dealt with appropriately. As part of
this, we issued guidance in 2014 to police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on dealing with hate crimes. This which includes advice on responding to incidents and how to monitor and deal with community tensions.
We have also worked with organisations, including Show Racism the Red Card, the Anne Frank Trust and the Jewish Museum to raise awareness of prejudice with children and young people, to prevent hate crime from happening in the first
place.
A progress report was published in May 2014 and provides an overview of our achievements, which include working with football authorities to help drive racism and homophobia out of football, worked with organisations such as Show
Racism the Red Card, the Anne Frank Trust and the Jewish Museum to raise awareness of prejudice with children and young people and supported the work of Tell MAMA to address anti-Muslim hatred. We have also seen the first
conviction(s) for offences of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation under Part 3A of the Public Order Act 1986 (as amended). The progress report also includes case study examples which demonstrate how
work is being carried out locally. The report is available in the House of Commons Library.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to protect British Jews from anti-semitic attacks.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The UK Government takes all forms of hate crime very seriously. We deplore all attacks motivated by religion, race or sexuality. Everyone should be able to live their lives free from fear of targeted hostility, harassment or violence
on the grounds of a particular characteristic.
The Government’s action plan on hate crime brings together the activities of government departments that work with local agencies, voluntary organisations and an independent advisory group to meet three main objectives to challenge
attitudes and behaviours, increase the reporting of hate crime, and improve the operational response to it.
Our work includes encouraging anyone who is a victim of a hate crime or subject to religion or race-related abuse or attack to have the confidence to report it to the police so that the offenders can be dealt with appropriately. As part of
this, we issued guidance in 2014 to police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on dealing with hate crimes. This which includes advice on responding to incidents and how to monitor and deal with community tensions.
We have also worked with organisations, including Show Racism the Red Card, the Anne Frank Trust and the Jewish Museum to raise awareness of prejudice with children and young people, to prevent hate crime from happening in the first
place.
A progress report was published in May 2014 and provides an overview of our achievements, which include working with football authorities to help drive racism and homophobia out of football, worked with organisations such as Show
Racism the Red Card, the Anne Frank Trust and the Jewish Museum to raise awareness of prejudice with children and young people and supported the work of Tell MAMA to address anti-Muslim hatred. We have also seen the first
conviction(s) for offences of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation under Part 3A of the Public Order Act 1986 (as amended). The progress report also includes case study examples which demonstrate how
work is being carried out locally. The report is available in the House of Commons Library.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to protect British Muslims from Islamaphobic attacks.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The UK Government takes all forms of hate crime very seriously. We deplore all attacks motivated by religion, race or sexuality. Everyone should be able to live their lives free from fear of targeted hostility, harassment or violence
on the grounds of a particular characteristic.
The Government’s action plan on hate crime brings together the activities of government departments that work with local agencies, voluntary organisations and an independent advisory group to meet three main objectives to challenge
attitudes and behaviours, increase the reporting of hate crime, and improve the operational response to it.
Our work includes encouraging anyone who is a victim of a hate crime or subject to religion or race-related abuse or attack to have the confidence to report it to the police so that the offenders can be dealt with appropriately. As part of
this, we issued guidance in 2014 to police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on dealing with hate crimes. This which includes advice on responding to incidents and how to monitor and deal with community tensions.
We have also worked with organisations, including Show Racism the Red Card, the Anne Frank Trust and the Jewish Museum to raise awareness of prejudice with children and young people, to prevent hate crime from happening in the first
place.
A progress report was published in May 2014 and provides an overview of our achievements, which include working with football authorities to help drive racism and homophobia out of football, worked with organisations such as Show
Racism the Red Card, the Anne Frank Trust and the Jewish Museum to raise awareness of prejudice with children and young people and supported the work of Tell MAMA to address anti-Muslim hatred. We have also seen the first
conviction(s) for offences of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation under Part 3A of the Public Order Act 1986 (as amended). The progress report also includes case study examples which demonstrate how
work is being carried out locally. The report is available in the House of Commons Library.