Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2015-12-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Earl Howe on 2 December (HL Deb, col 1193), what actions will be criminalised from next April under the specific offence of anti-Muslim hatred, and whether the actions criminalised under that offence will include (1) criticism of the Muslim religion, and (2) statements from people who have left that religion explaining why they have done so.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

As the Prime Minister announced in October, we have asked the police to record all existing religious based hate crimes by the faith or belief (including absence of belief) of the victim from April next year.

Under existing hate crimes it is not an offence to criticise Islam or for those who have left the faith to explain why they have done so. The new recording system does not constitute a new offence of anti-Muslim hatred, but will require this to be recorded specifically.