To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Racial Violence: Blackburn
Tuesday 27th July 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many racially motivated attacks there have been in the Whalley Range area of Blackburn in the last five years; and how many of these were against white people.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

The Home Office publishes information on the number hate crime offences recorded by the police by monitored strand, including racial hate crime, in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level. The latest data, including figures for Lancashire, are available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2019-to-2020

The hate crime collection was expanded on April 2021 to include information on the ethnicity of racially motivated offences. These data will be published in due course.


Written Question
Batley Grammar School: Harassment
Tuesday 27th July 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threats to the Batley Grammar School teacher; and what steps they are taking to support the police to pursue those making such threats.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

It would not be appropriate to provide information or details in relation to a specific case.


Written Question
Batley Grammar School: Harassment
Tuesday 27th July 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) they, or (2) the police, are paying for the protection of the Batley Grammar School teacher who has received threats on his life; if so, what is the cost of that protection; and if not, what steps they are taking to ensure his safety.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

It would not be appropriate to provide information or details in relation to a specific case.


Written Question
Religious Practice: Islam
Tuesday 20th July 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 April (HL15173), what is their estimate of the number of mosques in the UK; and how many have they assessed for evidence of radicalisation through their (1) support, or (2) justification, of violence towards non-Muslims.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

We assess all evidence of those that radicalise others though their support for or justification of violence and will not tolerate those who spread divisive and harmful narratives. We cannot discuss individual cases and we have made no assessment of the number of mosques in the UK.

We continue to work with law enforcement agencies and multi-agency partners to increase our understanding of new and emerging radicalising threats to society. Any violent threat is assessed and managed by the police and security services based on the threat that it is deemed to pose.

Our work to counter radicalisation through Prevent works best when it is delivered in partnership with communities and civil society, including faith institutions.


Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Thursday 27th May 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to respond to the letter from Lord Pearson of Rannoch to Baroness Williams of Trafford dated 31 March.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

I thank Lord Pearson for his question, a response is being drafted after careful consideration and will be sent out shortly.


Written Question
Ministers of Religion: Islam
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in pursuit of their anti-terrorism policies, what is their estimate of the number of Imams preaching in the UK; and what is the estimate of the proportion of Imams who cannot speak English.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

HMG has made no assessment of the number of Imams present in the UK as part of the Government’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy CONTEST, nor of their language skills. As outlined in our previous response. The Immigration Rules governing T2 Minister of Religion roles require applicants to demonstrate a strong command of the English language in order to qualify for a visa.


Written Question
Religious Practice: Islam
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in pursuit of their anti-terrorism policies, what assessment they have made, if any, of any Islamist teaching in mosques in the UK.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

We look at and assess all evidence of those that radicalise others though their support or justification of violence and will not tolerate those who spread divisive and harmful narratives. We remain of the view that the propaganda used by Islamist extremists is a distortion of true Islam.


Written Question
Islam
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 21 April (HL14809), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what assessment have they made of (1) any verses in the Koran which appear to support violence, and (2) the use of these verses by Islamist extremists to sanction violence.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

We look at and assess all material that may be used by extremists to support or justify violence and will not tolerate those who spread divisive and harmful narratives. We remain of the view that the propaganda used by Islamist extremists is a distortion of true Islam.


Written Question
Religious Practice: Islam
Wednesday 28th April 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in pursuit of their anti-terrorism policies, what discussions, if any, they have had with Islamic faith leaders to discuss the language in which services in mosques are conducted.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

HMG has no plans to mandate English language in any religious service as part of the Government’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy CONTEST. Everyone has a right to freedom of religion under Article 9 of the Human Rights Act and is one of the fundamental rights that we will always protect in this country


Written Question
Religious Practice: Islam
Wednesday 28th April 2021

Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in pursuit of their anti-terrorism policies, what plans they have, if any, to require services in mosques in the UK to be conducted in English.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

HMG has no plans to mandate English language in any religious service as part of the Government’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy CONTEST. Everyone has a right to freedom of religion under Article 9 of the Human Rights Act and is one of the fundamental rights that we will always protect in this country.