Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to assist Prevent in its duty to inhibit public sector engagement with extremist groups.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The statutory Prevent duty places responsibility on certain public sector bodies to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’ in the exercise of their functions.
Supporting statutory guidance sets out expectations for relevant public sectors including that organisations they work with are not engaged in extremist activity or espouse extremist views; public resources are not utilised by extremists; extremist views are appropriately challenged; and where appropriate, extremists are lawfully prosecuted, disrupted and deterred. Sector specific advice, training and support continues to be provided by the Home Office and other departments to support proportionate Prevent delivery.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department took steps to respond to the violent protests at an Israel Society event at King's College London in January 2016.
Answered by Mike Penning
I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer I gave to 24779 on 04 February 2016.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of policing on university campuses following the violent protests and criminal damage by demonstrators at an Israel Society event at King's College London last week.
Answered by Mike Penning
The operational policing of protests and demonstrations are principally a matter for Chief Officers of each force in England and Wales.
Peaceful protest is a vital part of a democratic society. It is a long-standing tradition in this country that people are free to gather together and to demonstrate their views. However, like all members of the public, protesters are subject to the law. Should individuals cross the boundary into criminal acts including public order offences, criminal damage, hate crime offences or violent behaviour, the police have a range of powers to take action.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make representations to the UN on specifying that 20 June should be commemorated as World Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons Day.
Answered by James Brokenshire
We have no plans to make such representations as this is a matter for the UN.