Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her Department uses to (a) commission and (b) monitor the services which support the Prevent Strategy.

The Prevent Duty, as the basis of the Prevent strategy, applies to the public sector authorities listed in Schedule 6 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. It requires authorities to have due regard to the need to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Placing a duty on these specified authorities means citizens most vulnerable to radicalisation can be identified and offered appropriate support at the earliest opportunity. We work closely with several monitors and regulators to ensure that the relevant specified authorities comply with this statutory duty in the course of their normal functions. The Home Office conducts an annual monitoring survey of local authorities to track compliance with the Prevent Duty and conducts regular monitoring of the Channel programme (the multi-agency programme that supports people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism) to ensure delivery is in line with the national guidance.

Although all local authorities are bound by the Prevent Duty, Home Office Prevent funding is awarded to local authorities where the threat from terrorism and the risk of radicalisation is highest. This enables them to fund dedicated Prevent posts and locally commission projects delivered by Civil Society Organisations. Monitoring is an important part of the Prevent strategy and the Home Office requires all areas that receive Prevent funding to submit quarterly returns which capture outputs, achievements, issues and expenditure.