Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance, A Definition of Anti-Muslim Hostility, section 6, of 9 March 2026, which body or authority will determine or interpret the public interest test.

The definition is non-statutory and does not create any new tests around the “public interest”. The term should be understood in its ordinary, commonly used meaning in UK legislation and policy: matters that serve society’s wider interests. There is also no single personal or authority who decides whether conduct is within the public interest. As with all non-statutory guidance, application of the definition will always depend on the context.

We encourage adoption of the definition across the public, private and third sectors. Public bodies applying the definition should do so through their current processes for assessing context, proportionality and impact. As part of our next steps, we will work with sectors to consider practical approaches to provide guidance and support effective implementation.