Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is meant by “hostility” in the new anti-Muslim hostility definition, and how they distinguish hostility towards Muslims as people from disagreement with, opposition to, or criticism of Islamic beliefs, practices, or political movements.
Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has not adopted the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims Definition of Islamophobia, and has not issued guidance to organisations who have.
On the 9 March, the Government adopted a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility, informed by advice from an independent Working Group. An overview of the definition, including its coverage, scope and terminology, is published on GOV.UK (and attached).
The definition uses the terminology “anti-Muslim hostility”, which reflects the wider prejudice and discrimination Muslims face, and squarely focuses on Muslims as individuals rather than Islam as a religion. “Hostility” focuses on actions and conduct rather than simply the holding of beliefs.
The definition covers the different aspects of hostility Muslims face: criminal acts, discrimination on the basis of being Muslim or perceived to be Muslim, and also the way in which Muslims can be treated as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics with the intention to encourage hatred against them.
The definition upholds our shared fundamental right to free speech, and the accompanying text in the definition publication underscores how lawful criticism, debate and even ridicule of all religions, including Islam, is safeguarded, as are raising concerns in the public interest. But hostility with the intention of encouraging hatred against others because they are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim is conduct government is committed to challenging.
The definition is non-statutory and does not change what is or is not a crime, nor does it equate anti-Muslim hostility with crime. Some actions set out in the definition would constitute criminal acts as well as being examples of anti-Muslim hostility, but the definition also sets out non-criminal conduct or behaviour which would constitute anti-Muslim hostility.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the new definition of anti-Muslim hostility is intended to define unlawful conduct, or whether it also covers non-criminal conduct; and if the latter, what safeguards exist to prevent non-criminal speech being treated as misconduct by employers, regulators, or public bodies.
Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has not adopted the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims Definition of Islamophobia, and has not issued guidance to organisations who have.
On the 9 March, the Government adopted a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility, informed by advice from an independent Working Group. An overview of the definition, including its coverage, scope and terminology, is published on GOV.UK (and attached).
The definition uses the terminology “anti-Muslim hostility”, which reflects the wider prejudice and discrimination Muslims face, and squarely focuses on Muslims as individuals rather than Islam as a religion. “Hostility” focuses on actions and conduct rather than simply the holding of beliefs.
The definition covers the different aspects of hostility Muslims face: criminal acts, discrimination on the basis of being Muslim or perceived to be Muslim, and also the way in which Muslims can be treated as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics with the intention to encourage hatred against them.
The definition upholds our shared fundamental right to free speech, and the accompanying text in the definition publication underscores how lawful criticism, debate and even ridicule of all religions, including Islam, is safeguarded, as are raising concerns in the public interest. But hostility with the intention of encouraging hatred against others because they are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim is conduct government is committed to challenging.
The definition is non-statutory and does not change what is or is not a crime, nor does it equate anti-Muslim hostility with crime. Some actions set out in the definition would constitute criminal acts as well as being examples of anti-Muslim hostility, but the definition also sets out non-criminal conduct or behaviour which would constitute anti-Muslim hostility.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to public bodies, political parties, and local authorities which have adopted the definition of Islamophobia proposed by the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims on the criticism of Islam.
Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has not adopted the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims Definition of Islamophobia, and has not issued guidance to organisations who have.
On the 9 March, the Government adopted a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility, informed by advice from an independent Working Group. An overview of the definition, including its coverage, scope and terminology, is published on GOV.UK (and attached).
The definition uses the terminology “anti-Muslim hostility”, which reflects the wider prejudice and discrimination Muslims face, and squarely focuses on Muslims as individuals rather than Islam as a religion. “Hostility” focuses on actions and conduct rather than simply the holding of beliefs.
The definition covers the different aspects of hostility Muslims face: criminal acts, discrimination on the basis of being Muslim or perceived to be Muslim, and also the way in which Muslims can be treated as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics with the intention to encourage hatred against them.
The definition upholds our shared fundamental right to free speech, and the accompanying text in the definition publication underscores how lawful criticism, debate and even ridicule of all religions, including Islam, is safeguarded, as are raising concerns in the public interest. But hostility with the intention of encouraging hatred against others because they are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim is conduct government is committed to challenging.
The definition is non-statutory and does not change what is or is not a crime, nor does it equate anti-Muslim hostility with crime. Some actions set out in the definition would constitute criminal acts as well as being examples of anti-Muslim hostility, but the definition also sets out non-criminal conduct or behaviour which would constitute anti-Muslim hostility.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that adoption by police forces of a definition of Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hostility does not result in discrimination in favour of Muslims and against those of other faiths.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling all forms of religious hatred. There is no hierarchy of hate, and protections under the law apply equally.
The Government is clear that the policing of hate crime must be carried out in accordance with the law. The Government’s non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility is intended to support understanding and consistency in identifying hostility directed at Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim and does not change the law.
The police are operationally independent of Government. The adoption of the definition of anti-Muslim hostility is a matter for Chief Constables. Any use by police forces of the definition must be consistent with equality and human rights legislation.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to ensure that the policing of Islamophobia does not exceed the legal framework regarding the protection of those with religious beliefs.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling all forms of religious hatred. There is no hierarchy of hate, and protections under the law apply equally.
The Government is clear that the policing of hate crime must be carried out in accordance with the law. The Government’s non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility is intended to support understanding and consistency in identifying hostility directed at Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim and does not change the law.
The police are operationally independent of Government. The adoption of the definition of anti-Muslim hostility is a matter for Chief Constables. Any use by police forces of the definition must be consistent with equality and human rights legislation.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker whether there are any websites that cannot be accessed on the parliament network; if so, what those websites are; and why they cannot be accessed.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Parliament uses an industry-standard web filtering and blocking solution across its Wi-Fi services, including visitor Wi-Fi. The system blocks categories of sites and content that are inappropriate for the parliamentary network environment, including pornographic material and sites intended to circumvent cyber security controls. The Parliamentary Digital Service does not control which websites are put into which category by the filtering service; this is an automated process conducted at an industry level. Parliament does not maintain a list of websites which cannot be accessed from its network, and any such list would be variable. PDS can unblock individual sites if they are assessed as safe and a specific request is made to them.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 27 January (HL13553), who is responsible for conducting the research into grooming gang perpetrators' backgrounds and motivations; when that research is expected to be complete; and when that research will be published.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Secretary has commissioned UK Research and Innovation to deliver this new programme of research, which will address evidence gaps in our understanding of the backgrounds, motivations, and drivers of group-based child sexual exploitation offending. We expect the programme of research to be a multi-year project, with individual research projects reporting through its duration. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people have been refused entry to the UK in the last 10 years due to extreme left-wing political views; and whether they will detail their names.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is committed to countering extremism in all its forms where it divides communities and inflames tensions. Regardless of the worldview it draws from, if an ideology is causing harm by radicalising others into hatred, violence and extremism we will take action to prevent this and to safeguard susceptible individuals.
The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what they mean by "not considered to be conducive to the public good" in relation to the blocking of Eva Vlaardingerbroek from entering the United Kingdom; whether they will reverse this decision; and, if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is our long-standing policy that we do not comment on individual cases.
I can advise you that following the refusal or cancellation of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) document; the customer may still apply for the appropriate UK visa. This allows for a full consideration of their circumstances and may provide an alternative avenue to travel.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs will consider the role that religion or culture played in enabling or facilitating abuse by grooming gangs, and not only the role that those factors played in responses to the abuse, as outlined in paragraph 4.3 of the draft terms of reference.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
On 9 December 2025, the Home Secretary published the draft Terms of Reference for the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs and asked the Chair to consult on them.
Following the consultation, the Chair will make recommendations to the Home Secretary. Final Terms of Reference will be agreed and published by 31 March 2026. The Home Secretary has been clear (in her Oral Statement of 9 December) that the inquiry will consider, explicitly, the background of offenders – including their ethnicity, religion and culture – and whether the authorities failed to properly investigate what happened out of a misplaced desire to protect community cohesion. The inquiry will act without fear or favour, identifying individual, institutional and systemic failure, inadequate organisational responses, and failures of leadership.
The Home Secretary has also commissioned new research from UK Research and Innovation to address longstanding gaps in our understanding of perpetrators’ backgrounds and motivations, including factors such as ethnicity and religion.