Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the (1) work programme, (2) remit, and (3) terms of reference, of any studies by the Commission for Countering-Extremism.

The Government published a Written Ministerial Statement (HLWS527) and Charter for the Commission for Countering Extremism on gov.uk in March 2018. They confirm the Commission’s purpose, remit, accountabilities, and early outputs. In its first year the Commission will:

• engage widely and openly on extremism and our core, shared values across the public sector, communities, civil society, families and legal and academic experts;
• publish a study into the threat we face from extremism and the current response; and,
• advise ministers on the Commission’s future structures, work programme and the appointment of further commissioners.

This advice is expected in March 2019.The Charter also confirms that the Commission is a transparent organisation operating independently from Government. The Commission will determine the content of its reports, the recommendations it makes to Government and its public statements, including the timing of these, independently.

The detail of when the Commission will publish the terms of reference for its study is a matter for the Commission but we understand it will be published shortly.