Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will issue guidance to the police on (a) identifying and (b) tackling anti-Semitic hate crime; and what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that Jewish communities are protected during Hanukkah celebrations.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
The police are operationally independent and work in line with the College of Policing’s operational guidance to respond to hate crime; we expect them to enforce the law where appropriate to protect communities and maintain public order. We are supporting the police by providing them with the resources they need, including having recruited 20,000 additional police officers by March 2023.
Since 7 October, police with Jewish and Muslim populations have increased community engagement and neighbourhood patrols to provide reassurance. Forces – including the Metropolitan Police Service – have dedicated plans in place for Hanukkah celebrations.
The Jewish Community Protective Security (JCPS) Grant provides protective security measures at Jewish community sites including education facilities and many synagogues.
In response to increased incidents of antisemitism in the UK, as a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, the Prime Minister has announced additional funding of £3 million to provide additional security at Jewish schools, synagogues and other Jewish community sites. This brings total protective security funding for the Jewish Community to £18 million in 2023/24. This level will be maintained at £18 million for 2024/25.
The Government is also providing £7 million over the next three years to ensure that more support is in place for schools and universities to tackle antisemitism.
Asked by: Lord Turnberg (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat antisemitism (1) in medical schools, and (2) amongst medical professionals.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are deeply concerned about the rise in antisemitic incidents since 7 October 2023. That is why on 22 November 2023, the Chancellor announced in his Autumn Statement an additional £7 million over three years to tackle antisemitism in education.
The Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Skills wrote to all schools, colleges, and universities on 11 October 2023, urging them to respond swiftly to hate-related incidents and actively reassure Jewish students that they can study without fear of harassment or intimidation. The Minister for Skills wrote again to Vice Chancellors on 16 November 2023, further emphasising the use of disciplinary measures and the importance of police engagement, as well as the suspension of student visas where the student is a foreign national. This was one of the key actions in the five-point plan for tackling antisemitism in higher education, How we’re protecting Jewish students on university campuses, which was published on GOV.UK on 5 November 2023 in an online-only format.
On 3 November 2023, the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care wrote to healthcare regulators, including the General Medical Council (GMC), which is the independent regulator of all medical professionals practising in the United Kingdom, to emphasise that there can be no place in our healthcare professions for those espousing racism or extremism. The letter asked the regulators what action they are taking, in the context of a rise in incidents of an antisemitic nature and of individuals expressing support for proscribed terrorist organisations.
All doctors must meet the expected standards set out in Good medical practice, the GMC’s framework of professional standards. These standards make clear that all doctors must treat patients and colleagues fairly and without discrimination. The GMC has a zero-tolerance approach to racism. Failure to uphold and adhere to the principles within these standards and related guidance may put a doctor’s registration with the GMC at risk. A copy of these standards is attached.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help ensure the safety of all rail passengers (a) at railway stations and (b) on trains in the context of increases in the number of incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State and I have been closely involved in discussions between the Department and the British Transport Police (BTP) on the impact of and approach to managing protests at railway stations, as well as monitoring any increases in incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Abuse, intimidation or violence – especially that which is religiously motivated - will never be tolerated on the railway. BTP officers will not hesitate to take robust action against those who seek to cause harm or hate.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will hold discussions with employer representatives on freedom of speech in the context of the conflict in Israel-Palestine.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Minister for Women and Equalities has met with Jewish employers to discuss the impact of rising antisemitism on their staff.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle anti-semitism in schools.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government unequivocally condemns the recent terrorist attacks by Hamas and stands in solidarity with Israel in its hour of need. Antisemitism has no place in our society.
The government is committed to ensuring that all schools and colleges prepare children for life in modern Britain. Every school and college should actively promote the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs.
The department has published guidance to support schools and colleges to monitor bullying incidents and evaluate the effectiveness of their approaches, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.
Where behaviour extends into antisemitism or other discriminatory bullying, the department expects schools to deal with it head on, in line with their behaviour policy.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and her Ministers visited a Jewish school to show her support and has written to school and college headteachers on 17 October 2023 to remind them of their relevant responsibilities, including the need to challenge intolerance and actively respond to discrimination, as well as outlining their duties under the Prevent programme. The department’s Educate Against Hate website provides a range of resources and support to challenge discrimination and intolerance, and how to respond where you have concerns. This is available at: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.
In the Autumn Statement, the government announced £7 million to support schools, colleges and universities to identify and tackle antisemitism. The department is preparing to issue an invitation for interested organisations to tender in due course.
Asked by: Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the bidding process for the £7 million of funding to tackle antisemitism in schools and universities, announced in the Autumn Statement.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Following the Autumn Statement announcement, the government is preparing to issue an invitation for interested organisations to tender to tackle anti-semitism in schools, colleges, and universities. The department encourages all interested organisations to consider submitting a bid in response to the invitation to tender.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2023, published on 22 November 2023, which organisations will receive the £7 million funding to help tackle antisemitism in schools and universities in the next three years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Following the Autumn Statement announcement, the government is preparing to issue an invitation for interested organisations to tender, to tackle anti-semitism in schools, colleges, and universities. The department encourages all interested organisations to consider submitting a bid in response to the invitation to tender.
Asked by: Lord Wasserman (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their announcement in the Autumn Statement to make up to £7 million available to tackle antisemitism in schools and universities, whether they intend to allocate some of those funds to the University Jewish Chaplaincy, a charity which employs professional chaplains to provide support to Jewish students.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Following the Autumn Statement announcement, the government is preparing to issue an invitation for interested organisations to tender for contracts to tackle antisemitism in schools, colleges and universities. The tender process will be run in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015. The University Jewish Chaplaincy may wish to consider submitting a bid in response to the invitation to tender.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the demonstration against antisemitism which took place in London on 26 November, what steps they are taking to (1) combat hate crimes, and (2) ensure safety for minority communities.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
This Government is clear that all forms of hate crime are completely unacceptable. We have a robust legislative framework and expect the police and CPS to fully investigate these abhorrent offences and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice. We are supporting the police by providing them with the resources they need, including having recruited 20,000 additional police officers by March 2023. We expect the police to enforce the law where appropriate to protect communities and maintain public order.
In response to the spikes in antisemitic and anti-Muslim hatred across the UK as a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, we are providing the Community Security Trust (CST) with additional funding of £3 million to provide security at Jewish schools, synagogues and other Jewish community sites, bringing total funding for CST through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant to £18 million in 2023/24.
This level will be maintained for 2024/25. The Government is also providing £7 million over the next three years to ensure that more support is in place for schools and universities to tackle antisemitism. We have made £4.9 million available to provide additional protective security at mosques and Muslim faith schools, bringing the total funding to £29.4 million this year; this level of funding will also be maintained for 2024/25. In January 2023, the Department for Education invited headteachers of all DfE-registered Muslim faith schools to register for protective security measures: 116 Muslim faith schools have enrolled to date.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding his Department has provided to tackle anti-semitism since 2010.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Questions UIN 2961 on 29 November 2023, Question UIN 201247 on 23 October 2023 and Question UIN 117512 on 16 January 2023. As set out previously, antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred have no place in our society and we will continue to fund programmes that help tackle all forms of religious hatred.