Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason she considers that further legislation is required to help tackle threats of terrorism by (a) the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and (b) other state bodies.

The National Security Act 2023, includes a broad range of tools to ensure law enforcement and our intelligence agencies have the powers they need to counter all malign foreign actors, including the IRGC.

However, the Government is determined to enhance our powers as necessary. For that reason, we commissioned Jonathan Hall KC (the Independent Reviewer of State Threats Legislation) to conduct a review evaluating what powers under terrorism legislation could be emulated to tackle state-based security threats to the UK. Mr Hall KC recommended introducing a State Threats Proscription-style Tool that would be more effective in disrupting state-linked organisations, along with other proposals.

The Government is committed to taking forward his proposals as soon as Parliamentary time allows.