Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle hate crimes in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

The Government is committed to tackle all forms of hate crime wherever in the country it occurs, including in Harpenden and Berkhamsted.

We have a robust legislative framework in place to respond to hate crimes and work closely with the police to ensure the strongest action is taken against the perpetrators of these appalling offences.

We have taken steps to strengthen this framework, through the Crime and Policing Bill, to extend the aggravated offences in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to cover hostility based on disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity and sex. This will provide parity with existing racially and religiously aggravated offences and strengthen protection for victims across the country.

We are also providing record levels of funding for protective security for faith communities, with up to £73.4 million in funding available in 2026/27.

In addition, we have commissioned an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation, led by Lord Ken Macdonald of River Glaven KC, to assess whether existing legislation is effective and proportionate, and whether it adequately protects communities from intimidation and hate.