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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all departments promote greater social cohesion and positive relations between all faiths, cultures and opinions, in addition to preventing extreme and criminal behaviour.

Strong communities, built on a shared set of values, are the foundations of a strong society. Our approach to integration breaks down barriers: emphasising local action and bringing people together; celebrating what we have in common rather than what divides us and protecting and promoting our core values. My Department has spent over £45 million on integration projects since 2010 as part of a more targeted approach - building integrated communities and supporting British values. This includes £12 million in 2014 - 15 to support 30 projects to build integration, reaching over 335,000 people.