Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Protection of Free Speech

Wednesday 1 May 2024 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government committed to protecting free speech
  • UK government concerned about potential impact of Hate Crime and Public Order Act 2021 on free speech in Scotland
  • UK government criticizes the Scottish Act as unclear and unnecessary

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Scotland Democracy & Elections
Context

The Scottish Government's Hate Crime and Public Order Act 2021 has recently come into force, raising concerns about its impact on free speech.

Question

What recent discussions has the government had with the Scottish Government regarding the protection of free speech in Scotland?

Answer from Alister Jack

The government are committed to protecting free speech. It is the responsibility of the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament, working with Police Scotland, to ensure that hate crime legislation is implemented and enforced in a way that protects freedom of speech and has the confidence of people in Scotland.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific discussions are not detailed, focusing instead on general commitment to free speech protection.

How: General Principles

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Q2 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Crime & Law Enforcement Scotland Democracy & Elections
Context

The Scottish Government's Hate Crime and Public Order Act 2021 has been criticized for potentially chilling free speech.

Question

What lessons can the UK government learn from the introduction of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 in Scotland?

Answer from Alister Jack

The Scottish Government's act could have a potential chilling effect on free speech; it lacks clarity on what constitutes an offence. The UK government believes it is an awful piece of legislation and will not enact similar laws.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific lessons are not detailed, focusing instead on the negative impact of the legislation.

How: General Principles, Negative Critique

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Q3 Pete Wishart SNP Perth and Kinross-shire
Crime & Law Enforcement Standards & Ethics
Context

The Hate Crime Act has been heavily criticized by Conservative members, leading to calls for the Scottish Tories to back off.

Question

Will the Secretary of State issue a directive telling the Scottish Tories to stop criticizing the Hate Crime Act?

Answer from Alister Jack

The laws already existed before this act. Police Scotland received 8,000 hate crime reports in the first week, more than any previous year. This is a ridiculous and unnecessary piece of legislation.

Not addressed: The question about issuing a directive was not answered; instead, the Secretary of State criticized the act's necessity and effectiveness.

How: Changing Subject

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