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Religious Hatred

Department for Communities and Local Government written question – answered at on 12 February 2015.

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Photo of Baroness Afshar Baroness Afshar Crossbench

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce measures to combat Islamophobia in the United Kingdom.

Photo of Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Communities and Local Government)

This Government has done more than any other to tackle anti-Muslim hatred:

  • We have set up the first ever cross-government working group on anti-Muslim hatred which was established to consider and take forward proposals to tackle anti-Muslim hatred. The Group engages with Muslim communities and advises Government on how best to take forward key priorities;
  • Provided start-up funding to the Tell MAMA initiative to record incidents and support victims of anti-Muslim hatred;
  • Established a UK Srebrenica Memorial Day which recognises the fatal consequences of hatred and Division;
  • Run social media workshops to build the capacity of community organisations to use social media effectively;
  • Held 8 integration roadshows with communities to find out what more Government can do to integrate communities and tackle anti-Muslim hatred. Further roadshows are planned throughout 2015;
  • Following the attacks in Paris, My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and I wrote on 16 January to mosques across England reassuring them of Government help if they experience anti-Muslim hatred. The Department has also assured faith and community leaders of its support to their commendable efforts to foster mutual understanding and shared respect;
  • Proactive engagement with the police to combat anti-Muslim hatred;
  • Initiated roundtable discussions with representatives of Muslim communities, including Imams and Muslim youth leaders;
  • Regular ministerial engagement and attendance at Muslim community events.

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  • (Citation: HL Deb, 12 February 2015, cW)

Right Honourable Friend

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Secretary of State

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division

The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.