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Written Question
Schools: Antisemitism
Monday 29th January 2024

Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to tackle antisemitism in schools.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

It is deeply concerning to see the huge rise in antisemitism following Hamas’s terrorist attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023. To see this form of hatred also take place in education is unacceptable.

The government took immediate action in October 2023. First, to increase security measures at Jewish schools, colleges and nurseries - we announced £3 million of additional funding to the Community Security Trust.

The Secretary of State also wrote to all schools and colleges on 17 October 2023, urging them to support Jewish students and highlighting our political impartiality guidance and advice on the Prevent programme.

To support schools and colleges we published learning resources on our Educate Against Hate website.

We are also providing over £3 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024, to five anti-bullying organisations, which includes projects to tackle hate-related bullying on the basis of race and faith.

The department has networks of ‘Prevent’ practitioners who provide training to school staff on radicalisation and empower teachers to challenge extremism in the classroom.

We continue to monitor the situation carefully. Ministers have conducted several visits recently to listen to the experience of Jewish communities, including meeting with Dr David Landau who is Chair of Governors Menorah High School, one of the settings that temporarily closed in October over safety concerns.

We are engaging regularly with faith groups and school leadership organisations to understand their concerns and use it to shape our response. This includes the Board of Jewish Deputies and Chinuch UK.

In the Autumn Statement, on 22 November 2023, the government announced a further £7 million of funding over the next three years to help tackle antisemitism. This will help support schools, colleges, and universities to understand, recognise and deal with antisemitism effectively. We are preparing to issue an invitation for interested organisations to tender in the coming weeks.

If anyone feels that specific issues in education are not being addressed, they can raise them directly to the department through the Counter Extremism helpline or our “Report Extremism” online form. We then engage with the police and local authorities to consider what action is needed.


Written Question
Australia: Antisemitism
Thursday 25th January 2024

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of changes in the level of antisemitism in Australia since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We strongly condemn antisemitism and are concerned by the rising levels since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict, in the UK and abroad. We welcome that the Australian government has similarly condemned this globally rising antisemitism. We will continue to monitor the situation in Australia, and elsewhere, and update our policies as appropriate. The UK is committed to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) globally.


Written Question
Antisemitism: Internet
Thursday 18th January 2024

Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many anti-Semitic online hate crimes were reported on the True Vision website between (a) 7 October 2022 and 6 January 2023 and (b) 7 October 2023 and 6 January 2024.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 5938 on 14 December 2023.


Written Question
Antisemitism
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding his Department plans to allocate to the Jewish Community Police, Crime and Security Taskforce in 2024.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Government continues to provide protective security funding to the Jewish community through the Jewish Community Protective Security (JCPS) Grant. This includes £3 million of funding announced by the Prime Minister in October for the Community Security Trust (CST) to provide additional security at Jewish schools, synagogues and other Jewish community sites. This brings total funding for CST, through the Grant, to £18 million in 2023/24, and this will remain at £18 million in 2024/25.

The Taskforce does not have a specific budget allocation and does not currently have any specific costs associated with its work.


Written Question
Antisemitism
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to help support victims of antisemitism.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

We’re committed to tackling the scourge of antisemitism and are providing £18m for protective security funding for the Jewish community in 2023/24 – this figure will be maintained in 2024/25.

The Government is providing £7m to support schools and universities to tackle antisemitism, and funds both an online reporting portal to make it easier for victims to report crimes and a hub which supports local forces in tackling online hate crime.


Written Question
Universities: Antisemitism
Wednesday 3rd January 2024

Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the responses by the University and College Union and relevant university authorities to complaints by students of anti-Semitism and violence perpetrated by fellow students and staff.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is deeply concerned about the growth in antisemitic incidents on campus since the 7 October terrorist attacks against Israel and this government takes antisemitism extremely seriously. Departmental officials have assessed evidence of antisemitism and racial hatred linked to incidents at English universities. There is an online "Reporting Extremism" page from where members of the public can raise concerns to the department directly. Where concerns have arisen, officials have reached out to relevant universities to understand what actions they have taken, including reporting issues to the police where appropriate.

The department is also concerned to see antisemitic motions being passed at some universities. The department urges universities to crack down on inflammatory, politically motivated displays of support for a proscribed terrorist organisation, and on demonstrations which make Jewish staff and students feel unsafe.

My right hon. Friend, The Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education (HE), wrote to all schools, colleges and universities on 11 October, urging them to respond swiftly to hate-related incidents and actively reassure Jewish students that they can study without fear of harassment or intimidation. Minister Halfon wrote again to Vice Chancellors on 16 November, further emphasising the use of disciplinary measures and the importance of police engagement, as well as the suspension of student visas where the student is a foreign national and requested that the universities review its policies and procedures to ensure that they remain fit for purpose at this challenging time. This was one of the key actions set out in the five-point plan for tackling antisemitism in HE, which was published on 5 November. A link to more information can be found here: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/11/05/how-were-protecting-jewish-students-on-university-campuses/.


Written Question
Antisemitism: Hate Crime
Thursday 21st December 2023

Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the polling by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, published on 27 November 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the finding that 16% of British Jews think that the police treat anti-Semitic hate crime like other forms of hate crime.

Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)

We have a robust legislative framework to respond to hate crimes which target race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and transgender identity.

Whilst the police are operationally independent and work in line with the College of Policing’s operational guidance to respond to hate crime, we expect the police to fully investigate these abhorrent offences and work with the CPS to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice. We are supporting the police by providing them with the resources they need, including having recruited 20,000 additional police officers by March 2023.

The Government regularly engages with Jewish community stakeholders to ensure that we are doing everything we can to tackle antisemitism in the UK and protect the safety and security of the Jewish community. The Government’s Jewish Community Protective Security (JCPS) Grant provides protective security measures at Jewish community sites including education facilities and many synagogues. In response to increased incidents of antisemitism in the UK as a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, the Prime Minister announced additional funding of £3 million to provide additional security at Jewish schools, synagogues and other Jewish community sites. This brings total protective security funding for the Jewish Community to £18 million in 2023/24. This level will be maintained at £18 million for 2024/25.

The Government is also providing £7 million over the next three years to ensure that more support is in place for schools and universities to understand, recognise and tackle antisemitism.

Since 7 October, forces across the country have increased neighbourhood patrols to provide reassurance to local communities. Police have also conducted thousands of visits to Jewish sites, including synagogues and faith schools. Forces have made a number of arrests linked to antisemitic and other forms of hate crime in the UK – including the Metropolitan Police Service which has made 134 arrests linked to hate crimes as of 1 December. The MPS also have a specific Hanukkah policing plan to provide assurance to the Jewish community.


Written Question
Universities: Antisemitism
Thursday 21st December 2023

Asked by: Lord Turnberg (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of antisemitic incidents in universities, and what steps they are taking in response to such incidents.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is deeply concerned about the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents and this government takes antisemitism extremely seriously. The department continues to liaise closely with Community Security Trust who provide regular updates on the number of antisemitic incidents reported in higher education (HE) since 7 October.

The Secretary of State and the Minister for Skills wrote to all schools, colleges and universities on 11 October, urging them to respond swiftly to hate-related incidents and actively reassure Jewish students that they can study without fear of harassment or intimidation. The Minister for Skills wrote again to Vice Chancellors on 16th November, further emphasising the use of disciplinary measures and the importance of police engagement, as well as the suspension of student visas where the student is a foreign national. This was one of the key actions set out in the five-point plan for tackling antisemitism in HE, which was published on 5 November. Details of the plan can be accessed at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/11/05/how-were-protecting-jewish-students-on-university-campuses/.

A key element of the plan is the development and implementation of a Quality Seal, which is a framework of measures that will allow universities to demonstrate support for Jewish students and staff. The Quality Seal will be based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism and will allow universities to demonstrate tangible evidence of its adoption and integration into their policies and practice.

​The department continues to remind providers of their obligations under the prevent duty, where they should be working to prevent people from being drawn into or supporting terrorism. There is an online ‘Reporting Extremism’ form where members of the public can raise concerns to the department directly. Where concerns have arisen, departmental officials have reached out to relevant providers to ensure that appropriate action has been taken, including reporting issues to the police where appropriate.


Written Question
Universities: Anti-semitism
Thursday 21st December 2023

Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what further steps they are taking to tackle anti-Semitism in universities.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​​This government takes antisemitism extremely seriously. The department is deeply concerned about the growth in antisemitic incidents on campus since the 7 October terrorist attacks against Israel. That is why, on 22 November, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced in his Autumn Statement an additional £7 million over 3 years to tackle antisemitism in education.

​My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, wrote to all schools, colleges and universities on 11 October, urging them to respond swiftly to hate-related incidents and actively reassure Jewish students that they can study without fear of harassment or intimidation. The department wrote again to Vice Chancellors on 16 November, further emphasising the use of disciplinary measures and the importance of police engagement, as well as the suspension of student visas where the student is a foreign national. This was one of the key actions set out in the five-point plan for tackling antisemitism in higher education, which was published on 5 November 2023.


Written Question
Educational Institutions: Discrimination
Wednesday 20th December 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to respond to reports of increases in the number of incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia in (a) schools, (b) universities and (c) other educational settings.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

It has been deeply concerning to see the rises both in antisemitism and in Islamophobia since the 7 October terrorist attacks against Israel. All education settings have a legal duty of care to safeguard and protect the welfare of all children and students; and must have regard to equalities legislation and comply with relevant provisions under the Equality Act 2010.

Every school and further education provider, including independent and faith schools, should actively promote the shared values, including mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. The department has published advice on promoting these values and made resources available on challenging antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate at: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.

The department has also published the Preventing and Tackling Bullying guidance, which directs schools to organisations who can provide support with tackling bullying related to race, religion and nationality. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying. The department is providing over £3 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024 to five anti-bullying organisations, which includes projects to tackle hate-related bullying on the basis of race and faith.

In the Autumn Statement, on 22 November 2023, the government has announced a further £7 million of funding over the next three years to help tackle antisemitism in education, and to ensure support is in place for schools, colleges, and universities to understand, recognise and deal with antisemitism effectively.

In universities the department is working to introduce a Tackling Antisemitism Quality Seal, which will be awarded to providers who’ve shown leadership and excellent practice in their approach to antisemitism. A five-point plan has been set out that both the department and university leaders should take to strengthen our support for Jewish students. The plan is available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/11/05/how-were-protecting-jewish-students-on-university-campuses/. The department also welcomes guidance produced by Universities UK, which focuses on tackling anti-Muslim hatred available at: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-research/publications/tackling-islamophobia-and-anti-muslim.

The department continues to engage both with Jewish and with Muslim groups, including the Union of Jewish Students and Tell MAMA, and is actively assessing incidents affecting both communities. Where there are serious concerns, departmental officials have reached out to providers to understand what actions have been taken.