Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) discussions and (b) engagement she had with (i) civil liberties groups, (ii) the Muslim Council of Britain and (iii) other Muslim organisations prior to the appointment of the independent reviewer of Prevent.

Prevent plays an essential role in stopping vulnerable people being drawn into terrorism.

The Independent Review of Prevent will look at the effectiveness of the Government’s strategy to protect vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism. It will also make recommendations for the future.

The process for the appointment of the Independent Reviewer of Prevent was published on 27 April 2020. A fair and open competition to appoint the next Independent Reviewer invited applicants to demonstrate their independence, expertise, credibility, written and analytical skills, and resilience. A panel, led by an independent chair, convened to assess each application against the essential criteria and decide who to recommend to Ministers for interview. Following the interviews, the panel’s advice on the appointable candidates was sent to Ministers for a decision on who to appoint. Ministers found that Mr Shawcross met these criteria and possessed the right range of skills and experience to conduct this important Review. To protect the confidentially of candidates, details of applications are only shared with relevant stakeholders in the recruitment process. The appointment was completed in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, which sets out the regulatory framework for public appointments processes. It is not part of that process to consult external bodies in advance of the appointment being made.

As Mr Shawcross has accepted the appointment, he is responsible for the conduct and recommendations of the Independent Review. The Home Secretary cannot predetermine the findings of the Review.