Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of referrals of individuals suspected of far-right wing activity to Prevent.

Between April 2015 and March 2018 there were 21,042 referrals to Prevent in England and Wales, of which 3,039 related to right wing extremism. These referrals come from frontline practitioners, police and the public.

In 2015/16, 759 (10%) of the 7,631 referrals related to right wing extremism. In 2016/17 968 (16%) of the 6,093 referrals related to right wing extremism. In 2017/18 1312 (18%) of the 7,318 referrals related to right wing extremism. This reflects a 73% increase in the number of referrals relating to right wing extremism over the previous three years.

It is also worth noting the breakdown of individuals who later go on to receive support on Channel in England and Wales. In 2015/16, 26% of those that received support on Channel related to right wing extremism. This increased to 44% in 2017/18, marking a significant increase in the proportion of right wing extremist Prevent referrals going on to receive support on Channel.

Prevent explicitly addresses all forms of terrorism, including when it is inspired by the ideologies of right wing extremism. The Home Office will continue to allocate resource against the areas of highest risk.