Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to spend the £5 million pledged for the development of the new Commonwealth counter-extremism unit.

The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), announced UK funding of £5million over 5 years to establish a Counter-Extremism and Counter Radicalisation Unit in the Commonwealth Secretariat. Setting up a new unit recognises that Commonwealth countries must work together to counter extremist ideologies and build their counter extremism capabilities. The unit will:

•Provide technical assistance to governments developing counter-extremism strategies.

•Mobilise Commonwealth civil society networks to counter radicalisation through targeted counter-narratives and strategic communication training.

•Enable Commonwealth members to meet their international counter extremism obligations. There is a demand from Commonwealth countries for support in implementing international counter extremism obligations, for example in relation to UN Security Council Resolution 2178.

Other Commonwealth partners have also pledged a contribution to this unit. We will work closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth members and key stakeholders to ensure that UK funding supports the work of countries across the Commonwealth to tackle the threat of extremism