Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made with regard to the running of the Ibaana Programme in prisons.

One of the Secretary of State’s earliest priorities has been to look closely at the way in which the Ministry of Justice, and specifically the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), deals with the threat from extremism and radicalisation in prisons and probation, and whether the response to that threat is effective. It is clear that the threat is evolving and increasing globally and it is crucial that the response, not just in my department but across government, rises to the growing challenge.

As part of his initial assessment the Secretary of State decided to halt the proposed de-radicalisation programme Ibaana, as its approach is not consistent with the principles set out in the Prime Minister’s speech in Munich in February 2011, and reinforced by his speech on 20 July 2015.

The Secretary of State has also asked the Ministry of Justice, supported by external expertise, to review our overall approach to dealing with Islamist extremism in prisons and probation. This will include considering whether the Ibaana programme should be replaced and if so what a replacement should look like.

The Ministry of Justice will continue to be closely involved in the cross government work currently underway on developing de-radicalisation programmes.