Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Charity Commission regarding antisemitism in the arts sector.

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable and have no place in our arts charities.

The Secretary of State recently met with the Charity Commission for England and Wales to discuss how to make sure it has the powers it needs to take swift and appropriate action against charities and their trustees where they are promoting hatred or antisemitism.

As part of the Government’s action plan for social cohesion we have announced stronger powers for the Charity Commission. These include banning individuals convicted of hate crimes from serving as charity trustees or senior managers, and making it easier for the Charity Commission to take action against people promoting violence or hatred.

A number of charities operating within the arts sector are funded by Arts Council England (ACE). As part of plans to tackle antisemitism, the Government is working with ACE on an independent audit into how allegations of antisemitism are handled and where the system needs to be strengthened.