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Written Question
Antisemitism: Hate Crime
Thursday 21st December 2023

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the polling by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, published on 27 November 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the finding that 16% of British Jews think that the police treat anti-Semitic hate crime like other forms of hate crime.

Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)

We have a robust legislative framework to respond to hate crimes which target race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and transgender identity.

Whilst the police are operationally independent and work in line with the College of Policing’s operational guidance to respond to hate crime, we expect the police to fully investigate these abhorrent offences and work with the CPS to 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.

The Government regularly engages with Jewish community stakeholders to ensure that we are doing everything we can to tackle antisemitism in the UK and protect the safety and security of the Jewish community. The Government’s 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 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 understand, recognise and tackle antisemitism.

Since 7 October, forces across the country have increased neighbourhood patrols to provide reassurance to local communities. Police have also conducted thousands of visits to Jewish sites, including synagogues and faith schools. Forces have made a number of arrests linked to antisemitic and other forms of hate crime in the UK – including the Metropolitan Police Service which has made 134 arrests linked to hate crimes as of 1 December. The MPS also have a specific Hanukkah policing plan to provide assurance to the Jewish community.


Written Question
Terrorism: Europe
Tuesday 19th December 2023

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Europe on the shared security threat posed by Hamas and other proscribed terrorist organisations.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Government values our longstanding and effective cooperation with European allies on shared counter terrorism objectives, including tackling the threat posed by Hamas and from other terrorist organisations.

HMG continues to work closely with our international partners on issues of national security including through engagement by ministers and senior officials with their international counterparts to strengthen our collective response to the threats we face.


Written Question
Iran: Espionage
Wednesday 20th September 2023

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that Iran is held accountable for its reported deployment of foreign agents to the UK.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

I would urge the Hon. Lady to ask the FDCO.


Written Question
Iran
Tuesday 19th September 2023

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of potential ties between Iran and the activities of malicious agents in the UK since the escape of Daniel Khalife from HMP Wandsworth.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

We do not routinely comment on operational or intelligence matters.

The Government continually assesses potential threats in the UK, and takes the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously.


Written Question
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of activities by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the UK.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

We do not routinely comment on operational or intelligence matters, however the UK will always stand up to threats from foreign nations. As we set out in the Integrated Review in 2021, we are committed to addressing growing threats from Iran, as well as other states.

Since January, there have been at least ten threats to kidnap or even kill UK-based individuals. Iran has established a pattern of this type of behaviour which is deplorable, yet sadly typical of the regime and its lack of respect for basic rights.

The UK Government has long been clear about its concerns over the continued destabilising activity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the UK and overseas. The UK maintains a range of sanctions that work to constrain the destabilising activity of the IRGC. In concert with partners, the UK government will continue to use all tools at its disposal to protect the UK and its overseas interests against any threats from the Iranian state.


Written Question
Dangerous Driving
Thursday 8th July 2021

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current legislation at tackling illegal racing of motor vehicles on streets; and if she will undertake a review into how legislation can be strengthened to tackle that illegal practice.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

We believe there are sufficient powers to address the racing of motor vehicles on streets.

It is for local authorities, forces and agencies to decide how best to use these powers depending on the specific circumstances as they are best placed to understand what is causing the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.


Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Insurance
Monday 19th April 2021

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the recent upsurge in catalytic converter thefts, if her Department will take steps to ensure that insurance companies do not impose higher excesses or premiums on future policies as a result of those crimes.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

The Government recognises the negative impact these thefts cause to victims. That is why we continue to work closely with police and motor manufacturers through the National Vehicle Crime Working Group, established by the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime and overseen by the Government’s Crime and Justice Taskforce, to understand what more can be done to tackle the theft of catalytic converters. Representatives from the insurance industry continue to collaborate with us through the Working Group and are aware of the challenges faced by vehicle owners.


Written Question
British National Socialist Movement
Thursday 17th September 2020

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the threat posed by the British National Socialist Movement to the public; what representations she has received on the British National Socialist Movement; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

The British National Socialist Movement (which is also sometimes called the British Movement) is a white supremacist group that originated in 1968.

The Government is committed to tackling Right Wing Extremism (including white supremacist and neo-Nazi activity). This includes undertaking assessments of Right Wing Extremist activity by the Counter Extremism Insight and Analysis unit.

The Building a Stronger Britain Together (BSBT) programme brings people across England and Wales to tackle extremism at local level. Since the programme’s launch in 2016 it has supported over 240 civil society organisations.


Written Question
Hezbollah: Fundraising
Monday 7th September 2020

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of Hezbollah’s ability to raise funds within the UK.

Answered by James Brokenshire

The Government does not comment on intelligence matters.

Hizballah is a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK and is designated under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing Act 2010.


Written Question
Nitrous Oxide: Regulation
Monday 7th September 2020

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to regulate the market for nitrous oxide to restrict access for people wishing to use it as a psychoactive drug.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

The Government takes the supply of substances for their psychoactive effect very seriously. There are legitimate uses for nitrous oxide, such as in medicine, dentistry and as a propellant for whipped cream canisters, but those who supply nitrous oxide for its recreational use, or who are reckless as to whether it is used for its psychoactive effect, will be subject to an offence under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. This includes a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment.

The Government has published guidance for retailers to satisfy themselves that they comply with the law, available on the gov.uk website. The guidance recommends that retailers, including those operating online, should pay particular attention to the potential for abuse of nitrous oxide, especially where customers seek to buy in bulk or large volumes.

We intend to establish in law a new duty of care on companies towards their users, overseen by an independent regulator. The duty of care will ensure companies have appropriate systems in place to deal with harmful content on their internet services and keep users safe. Illegal and harmful activity online such as the supply of psychoactive substances for their psychoactive effect will fall within the scope of the planned legislation.

The Government published its initial response to the consultation on the Online Harms White Paper in February, giving more detail on the policy position and naming Ofcom as the Government’s preferred independent Online Harms regulator. We will publish a full response to the consultation in the coming months and aim to bring legislation before Parliament this session.