Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a body to define Islamophobia; and what steps they are taking to ensure that freedom of speech is protected to allow the criticism of religions.

The Government has established a new working group to provide a definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, advising government and other bodies on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims. The group’s proposed definition will be non-statutory, and we are clear that it must be compatible with British citizens’ unchanging right to exercise freedom of speech and expression - which includes the right to criticise, express dislike of, or insult religions and/or the beliefs and practices of adherents. This work will support these important freedoms, ensuring that they are preserved.

With levels of Islamophobia at a record high, this work will improve understanding of unacceptable treatment and prejudice against Muslim communities and support wider and ongoing government-led efforts to root out hatred in all its forms.