Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether government departments or agencies use the term “domestic extremism” in any capacity; and, if so, what assessment they have made of its (1) accuracy, and (2) validity, as a concept for policy and decision making.

We do not use the term “domestic extremism”. Government departments use the definition of extremism set out in the Counter-Extremism Strategy published in October 2015 (CM9148).

The strategy defines extremism as: ‘the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also regard calls for the death of members of our armed forces as extremist.