Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Timpson on 3 March (HL5169), in the past 25 years, how many prisoners have been segregated for 42 days, and how many have been segregated for a longer period.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Removal from association for the purpose of segregation can occur for a number of reasons including for the maintenance of the good order and discipline of a prison; to protect the safety of those within a prison; for a prisoner’s own interests (i.e. due to risk from others); pending adjudication or as a punishment of cellular confinement following adjudication.

Whilst segregated prisoners are removed from association, they are individually risk assessed to enable access to as full a regime as possible. The use of segregation is governed by Prison Service Order 1700, which provides guidance to ensure it is used appropriately, and only where necessary.

The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, often known as the Mandela Rules, define solitary confinement as “the confinement of prisoners for 22 hours or more a day without meaningful human contact”. Prisons in England and Wales do not have a solitary confinement procedure.

Statistics on incidents of segregation over the past 25 years could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Timpson on 3 March (HL5169), what is the difference between a prisoner being "removed from association" and being "kept in solitary confinement".

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Removal from association for the purpose of segregation can occur for a number of reasons including for the maintenance of the good order and discipline of a prison; to protect the safety of those within a prison; for a prisoner’s own interests (i.e. due to risk from others); pending adjudication or as a punishment of cellular confinement following adjudication.

Whilst segregated prisoners are removed from association, they are individually risk assessed to enable access to as full a regime as possible. The use of segregation is governed by Prison Service Order 1700, which provides guidance to ensure it is used appropriately, and only where necessary.

The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, often known as the Mandela Rules, define solitary confinement as “the confinement of prisoners for 22 hours or more a day without meaningful human contact”. Prisons in England and Wales do not have a solitary confinement procedure.

Statistics on incidents of segregation over the past 25 years could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will require the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group to take into consideration the views of adherents of religions other than Islam; and if not, why not

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities.

In the most recently published Home Office statistics the number of religious hate crimes targeting Muslims accounted for 38% of all religious hate crimes. The number of religious hate crimes targeting Jews accounted for 33%. These together make up 71%, and show government action here is urgently needed. Whilst the government has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition for antisemitism, it does not have an equivalent definition to aid its work in tackling hate directed towards Muslims.

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group’s objective is to develop a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia which is reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities for British Muslims. Full terms of reference for the Working Group have been published on GOV.UK.

It is important that government is transparent in the actions it takes to address all forms of hatred, however any independent work should also have the space to consider sensitive and complex issues in private. This is the approach the Working Group will take when considering the appropriate and sensitive language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim.

Once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the planned definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia will allow for ridicule or abuse of Islamic beliefs and practices.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities.

In the most recently published Home Office statistics the number of religious hate crimes targeting Muslims accounted for 38% of all religious hate crimes. The number of religious hate crimes targeting Jews accounted for 33%. These together make up 71%, and show government action here is urgently needed. Whilst the government has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition for antisemitism, it does not have an equivalent definition to aid its work in tackling hate directed towards Muslims.

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group’s objective is to develop a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia which is reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities for British Muslims. Full terms of reference for the Working Group have been published on GOV.UK.

It is important that government is transparent in the actions it takes to address all forms of hatred, however any independent work should also have the space to consider sensitive and complex issues in private. This is the approach the Working Group will take when considering the appropriate and sensitive language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim.

Once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will require the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group to meet adherents of religions other than Islam.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities.

In the most recently published Home Office statistics the number of religious hate crimes targeting Muslims accounted for 38% of all religious hate crimes. The number of religious hate crimes targeting Jews accounted for 33%. These together make up 71%, and show government action here is urgently needed. Whilst the government has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition for antisemitism, it does not have an equivalent definition to aid its work in tackling hate directed towards Muslims.

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group’s objective is to develop a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia which is reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities for British Muslims. Full terms of reference for the Working Group have been published on GOV.UK.

It is important that government is transparent in the actions it takes to address all forms of hatred, however any independent work should also have the space to consider sensitive and complex issues in private. This is the approach the Working Group will take when considering the appropriate and sensitive language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim.

Once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government on what grounds they determined that the work of the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group should not be made public.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities.

In the most recently published Home Office statistics the number of religious hate crimes targeting Muslims accounted for 38% of all religious hate crimes. The number of religious hate crimes targeting Jews accounted for 33%. These together make up 71%, and show government action here is urgently needed. Whilst the government has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition for antisemitism, it does not have an equivalent definition to aid its work in tackling hate directed towards Muslims.

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group’s objective is to develop a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia which is reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities for British Muslims. Full terms of reference for the Working Group have been published on GOV.UK.

It is important that government is transparent in the actions it takes to address all forms of hatred, however any independent work should also have the space to consider sensitive and complex issues in private. This is the approach the Working Group will take when considering the appropriate and sensitive language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim.

Once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will invite the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group in formulating its definition to protect freedom of expression in similar terms to the saving provision in section 29J of the Public Order Act 1986, so that the definition does not, for example, restrict criticism of Islam or prevent individuals from urging Muslims to cease practising Islam.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities.

In the most recently published Home Office statistics the number of religious hate crimes targeting Muslims accounted for 38% of all religious hate crimes. The number of religious hate crimes targeting Jews accounted for 33%. These together make up 71%, and show government action here is urgently needed. Whilst the government has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition for antisemitism, it does not have an equivalent definition to aid its work in tackling hate directed towards Muslims.

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group’s objective is to develop a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia which is reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities for British Muslims. Full terms of reference for the Working Group have been published on GOV.UK.

It is important that government is transparent in the actions it takes to address all forms of hatred, however any independent work should also have the space to consider sensitive and complex issues in private. This is the approach the Working Group will take when considering the appropriate and sensitive language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim.

Once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to formulate official definitions of hatred or abuse against adherents of any religion other than Islam.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities.

In the most recently published Home Office statistics the number of religious hate crimes targeting Muslims accounted for 38% of all religious hate crimes. The number of religious hate crimes targeting Jews accounted for 33%. These together make up 71%, and show government action here is urgently needed. Whilst the government has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition for antisemitism, it does not have an equivalent definition to aid its work in tackling hate directed towards Muslims.

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group’s objective is to develop a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia which is reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities for British Muslims. Full terms of reference for the Working Group have been published on GOV.UK.

It is important that government is transparent in the actions it takes to address all forms of hatred, however any independent work should also have the space to consider sensitive and complex issues in private. This is the approach the Working Group will take when considering the appropriate and sensitive language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim.

Once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Khan of Burnley on 11 April (HL6311), whether they will answer the question put, namely whether they will require the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group to take into consideration the views of adherents of religions other than Islam.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of discrimination and hate crime are completely unacceptable, and the Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. Our efforts to build a country of tolerance and inclusion apply to people of all faiths and none.

The most recent police-recorded hate crime statistics showed that almost 2 in 5 religious hate crimes target Muslims, which is why we have established a working group to provide rapid advice to the Government. Working group members have been selected for their technical expertise, experience and ability to work to deliver the group’s objectives. The group will consult with a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure that the voices of all relevant stakeholders are heard and considered.

The proposed definition will advise the Government and other bodies on the appropriate language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim. It must also be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression. The initial advice the working group produces will be private however once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether all the members of the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group that they have appointed, except the chair, are Muslims; and what assessment they have made of the impact the composition of the Group may have on the public reception of its report.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of discrimination and hate crime are completely unacceptable, and the Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. Our efforts to build a country of tolerance and inclusion apply to people of all faiths and none.

The most recent police-recorded hate crime statistics showed that almost 2 in 5 religious hate crimes target Muslims, which is why we have established a working group to provide rapid advice to the Government. Working group members have been selected for their technical expertise, experience and ability to work to deliver the group’s objectives. The group will consult with a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure that the voices of all relevant stakeholders are heard and considered.

The proposed definition will advise the Government and other bodies on the appropriate language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim. It must also be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression. The initial advice the working group produces will be private however once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Khan of Burnley on 11 April (HL6310), whether they plan to formulate a new official definition of hatred or abuse against adherents of any religions other than Islam; and if not, why not.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of discrimination and hate crime are completely unacceptable, and the Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. Our efforts to build a country of tolerance and inclusion apply to people of all faiths and none.

The most recent police-recorded hate crime statistics showed that almost 2 in 5 religious hate crimes target Muslims, which is why we have established a working group to provide rapid advice to the Government. Working group members have been selected for their technical expertise, experience and ability to work to deliver the group’s objectives. The group will consult with a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure that the voices of all relevant stakeholders are heard and considered.

The proposed definition will advise the Government and other bodies on the appropriate language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim. It must also be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression. The initial advice the working group produces will be private however once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Khan of Burnley on 11 April (HL6315), whether they will answer the question put, namely whether they will invite the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group, in formulating its definition, to protect freedom of expression in similar terms to the saving provision in section 29J of the Public Order Act 1986, so that the definition does not, for example, restrict criticism of Islam or prevent individuals from urging Muslims to cease practising Islam.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of discrimination and hate crime are completely unacceptable, and the Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. Our efforts to build a country of tolerance and inclusion apply to people of all faiths and none.

The most recent police-recorded hate crime statistics showed that almost 2 in 5 religious hate crimes target Muslims, which is why we have established a working group to provide rapid advice to the Government. Working group members have been selected for their technical expertise, experience and ability to work to deliver the group’s objectives. The group will consult with a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure that the voices of all relevant stakeholders are heard and considered.

The proposed definition will advise the Government and other bodies on the appropriate language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim. It must also be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression. The initial advice the working group produces will be private however once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Khan of Burnley on 11 April (HL6313), whether they will answer the question put, namely whether the planned definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia will allow for ridicule or abuse of Islamic beliefs and practices.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of discrimination and hate crime are completely unacceptable, and the Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. Our efforts to build a country of tolerance and inclusion apply to people of all faiths and none.

The most recent police-recorded hate crime statistics showed that almost 2 in 5 religious hate crimes target Muslims, which is why we have established a working group to provide rapid advice to the Government. Working group members have been selected for their technical expertise, experience and ability to work to deliver the group’s objectives. The group will consult with a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure that the voices of all relevant stakeholders are heard and considered.

The proposed definition will advise the Government and other bodies on the appropriate language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim. It must also be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression. The initial advice the working group produces will be private however once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Khan of Burnley on 11 April (HL6314), whether the final conclusions of the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group will be published; and if not, why not.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All forms of discrimination and hate crime are completely unacceptable, and the Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. Our efforts to build a country of tolerance and inclusion apply to people of all faiths and none.

The most recent police-recorded hate crime statistics showed that almost 2 in 5 religious hate crimes target Muslims, which is why we have established a working group to provide rapid advice to the Government. Working group members have been selected for their technical expertise, experience and ability to work to deliver the group’s objectives. The group will consult with a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure that the voices of all relevant stakeholders are heard and considered.

The proposed definition will advise the Government and other bodies on the appropriate language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim. It must also be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression. The initial advice the working group produces will be private however once the Government has had time to review the advice, it will consider its next steps.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to make anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia, as defined by the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group or otherwise, a criminal offence, and if so what penalty the offence will carry.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Noble Lord to the Terms of Reference for the Working Group.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government when is the latest date by which they intend to publish the report from the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group.

Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Noble Lord to the Terms of Reference for the Working Group.