Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many successful prosecutions have been made under the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 in each year since that Act was introduced.

Hate crime of any form is unacceptable and this Government is determined to stamp it out. Sentencing guidelines are clear that hostility towards minority groups should be treated as an aggravating factor – which means offenders face higher maximum penalties.

The Home Office published a Hate Crime Action plan in July 2016, setting out plans for further reducing hate crime, increasing reporting and improving support for victims.

We have some of the toughest laws in the world in this area, but sentencing is a matter for independent judges based on the facts of each case.

The number of offenders found guilty of offences under the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 from 2007-2017 can be viewed in the table. Data for 2018 will be published in May 2019.