Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 103696, whether his Department has assessed the compatibility of a proposed Islamophobia definition with existing statutory protections for free speech.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The independent anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia definition working group submitted their findings for Ministers to consider. As we have made clear, Government will consider this advice in a way that protects our fundamental right to free speech. Any definition would be non-statutory and compatible with relevant legislative frameworks, and Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 103696, whether his Department has sought legal advice on the compatibility of any proposed definition with existing criminal law.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The independent anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia definition working group submitted their findings for Ministers to consider. As we have made clear, Government will consider this advice in a way that protects our fundamental right to free speech. Any definition would be non-statutory and compatible with relevant legislative frameworks, and Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 14 January (HL13089), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, which public authorities are expected to adopt their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are still in the process of carefully considering the independent Working Group’s advice regarding a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 14 January (HL13088), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, when they will publish their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are still in the process of carefully considering the independent Working Group’s advice regarding a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 14 January (HL13090), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, whether they plan to publish examples of practices and biases within institutions that they consider to be relevant conduct under their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are still in the process of carefully considering the independent Working Group’s advice regarding a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Falkner of Margravine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 14 January (HL13091), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, whether they plan to carry out a public consultation in relation to their definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers are still in the process of carefully considering the independent Working Group’s advice regarding a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. Government will confirm next steps in due course.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with Ofcom on tackling the spread of antisemitism and Islamophobia on social media.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ofcom about online safety matters. For example, in October, the Secretary of State wrote to Ofcom requesting an update on its implementation of the Online Safety Act, including work to ensure platforms tackle antisemitic and hateful content and abuse.
Ofcom’s reply outlined the main themes of its work in tackling antisemitism and other forms of hate speech and abuse. This includes driving compliance through the Online Safety Act’s regulatory framework, building on its codes of practice, working with civil society to build its evidence base and targeted working with platforms during crises.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has conducted an equality impact assessment relating to the effect of an Islamophobia definition on religious minorities other than Muslims.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.
The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.
The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of an Islamophobia definition on the ability to scrutinise religious ideology or practice.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.
The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.
The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has received representations from Hindu community groups on the potential impact of an Islamophobia definition on freedom of expression.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.
The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.
The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.