Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Places of Worship: Hate Crimes

Monday 13 July 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department is taking steps to prevent hate crimes against places of worship through a security scheme funded at 3.2 million for the next year.
  • The funding amount for the places of worship protective security scheme is nearly double the amount awarded last year.
  • The Government's scheme allows each place of worship to apply for practical security measures tailored to their specific needs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Howell Con Henley
Community Security
Context

The Home Department is reviewing a public consultation on providing greater protection from hate crime for places of worship. The funding for the next year has been increased to £3.2 million, which is nearly double the amount awarded last year.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to prevent hate crimes against places of worship?

Answer from Victoria Atkins (Minister for Policing and the Criminal Justice)

We are committed to protecting places of worship from hate crimes through the places of worship protected security scheme. The funding for next year, at £3.2 million, is an uplift of nearly double the amount awarded last year. A public consultation on providing greater protection from hate crime for places of worship closed on 28 June. We are reviewing the responses and will respond in due course.

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Q2 John Howell Con Henley
Community Security Religion & Faith
Context

The funding for the places of worship protective security scheme has been increased to £3.2 million, nearly double last year's amount. A public consultation on providing greater protection from hate crime for places of worship is being reviewed.

Question

There is a balance to be struck between worshipping openly and being provided with adequate security. Will the Minister say what success the Government's places of worship protective security funding scheme has had in achieving that balance?

Answer from Victoria Atkins (Minister for Policing and the Criminal Justice)

Very much so. I can assure my hon. Friend that the places of worship protective security funding scheme has been designed so that each place of worship can apply for practical security measures that suit their individual needs, ranging from CCTV to alarm systems. This allows each place of worship to remain open and accessible for worshippers, while providing greater security. We want to ensure that this scheme listens to worshippers and their communities when seeking to achieve the balance to which he rightly refers.

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