Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of covid-19 anti-vaccination protests outside school gates (a) nationally, (b) regionally and (c) by local authority.

The right to peaceful protest is a vital part of a democratic society. However, this does not extend to unlawful behaviour, and it is never acceptable for anyone to intimidate pupils and teachers. Should a protest contravene the law, the police have comprehensive powers to deal with activities that spread hate or deliberately raise tensions through violence or public disorder. The use of these powers and the management of demonstrations are an operational matter for the police.

Through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, the government is introducing new measures which will allow the police to take a more proactive approach in managing highly disruptive protests.

Separately, the Department for Education and the UK Health Security Agency have provided information in guidance for schools on how to handle any misinformation or disruption. In the event of a protest or disruptive activity outside a school, or if schools know a protest is planned, they should alert the School Age Immunisation Service provider, local authority and local police contacts to discuss the best way to manage the situation.