Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to reduce the time taken for decisions to be made on applications for the (a) Protective Security for Mosques Scheme and (b) Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme.

This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer.

Global and domestic events have heightened security concerns within faith communities, which has led to a significant increase in demand for protective security schemes offered by the Home Office. Additionally, following the violent disorder last year, the Home Office set up rapid security services to safeguard mosques and other places of worship. Delivering this support to a large number of places of worship has unfortunately also contributed to delays in processing applications for longer-term security measures.

I can assure you the Home Office is working as quickly as it can to process applications.