Following the attacks in New Zealand, we recognised the increased security anxieties being felt by mosques as we approach Ramadan. A security training scheme commenced on the 5 May. We originally committed to 12 workshops but following significant interest we have agreed to fund an additional 10 workshops during Ramadan.

These workshops have been open to faith leaders and have not been restricted to those who have experienced a previous hate crime. We have also made available funds to pay for the distribution of written advice to mosques, community centres and madrassahs. This is a short-term project for which we have awarded grant funding of £74,725 that will sit alongside the wider £5m fund that has been announced for security training for all faiths.

Over its first three years, the Places of Worship protective security scheme has approved grants worth approximately £1.5m to 134 places of worship. During that time, Ministers have approved 49 grants to mosques worth £638,906.34.

Following the Finsbury Park terror attack in June 2017, we also announced a £1m fund to protect vulnerable faith institutions. Under this scheme, we approved funding to 38 faith institutions including 19 mosques and one Muslim community centre. These grants were worth over £260,000.

Following the attacks in New Zealand, we recognised the increased security anxieties being felt by mosques as we approach Ramadan. A security training scheme commenced on the 5 May. We originally committed to 12 workshops but following significant interest we have agreed to fund an additional 10 workshops during Ramadan.

These workshops have been open to faith leaders and have not been restricted to those who have experienced a previous hate crime. We have also made available funds to pay for the distribution of written advice to mosques, community centres and madrassahs. This is a short-term project for which we have awarded grant funding of £74,725 that will sit alongside the wider £5m fund that has been announced for security training for all faiths.

Following the attacks in New Zealand, we recognised the increased security anxieties being felt by mosques as we approach Ramadan. A security training scheme commenced on the 5 May. We originally committed to 12 workshops but following significant interest we have agreed to fund an additional 10 workshops during Ramadan.

These workshops have been open to faith leaders and have not been restricted to those who have experienced a previous hate crime. We have also made available funds to pay for the distribution of written advice to mosques, community centres and madrassahs. This is a short-term project for which we have awarded grant funding of £74,725 that will sit alongside the wider £5m fund that has been announced for security training for all faiths.

We are aware of, and concerned by, reports of mosques, shrines, and other places of worship in Xinjiang being targeted by Chinese authorities. While we do not have an accurate measure on what proportion of mosques are being destroyed, available evidence, including that recently presented in the Guardian newspaper following a joint Guardian/Bellingcat investigation, suggests that it is significant. British diplomats in China visit Xinjiang every few months in order to see at first-hand the situation there. Their observations have supported much of the recent open source reporting about the restrictions targeted at specific ethnic and religious groups.

We regularly raise our serious concerns about the situation in Xinjiang with the Chinese authorities at senior levels, and will continue to do so. At the 40^th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord Ahmad, raised our concerns during his opening address on 25 February. The UK also spoke about Xinjiang during our “Item 4” national statement on 12 March, and co-sponsored and spoke at a side event on Xinjiang, which helped to raise awareness of the situation among the international community. The Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, raised our concerns about Xinjiang with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his last visit to China in July 2018. I also raised our concerns with Vice Minister Guo Yezhou during his visit to China on 22 July 2018. Our Embassy in Beijing also regularly raises our concerns with the Chinese authorities.

We are aware of, and concerned by, reports of mosques, shrines, and other places of worship in Xinjiang being targeted by Chinese authorities. While we do not have an accurate measure on what proportion of mosques are being destroyed, available evidence, including that recently presented in the Guardian newspaper following a joint Guardian/Bellingcat investigation, suggests that it is significant. British diplomats in China visit Xinjiang every few months in order to see at first-hand the situation there. Their observations have supported much of the recent open source reporting about the restrictions targeted at specific ethnic and religious groups.

We regularly raise our serious concerns about the situation in Xinjiang with the Chinese authorities at senior levels, and will continue to do so. At the 40^th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord Ahmad, raised our concerns during his opening address on 25 February. The UK also spoke about Xinjiang during our “Item 4” national statement on 12 March, and co-sponsored and spoke at a side event on Xinjiang, which helped to raise awareness of the situation among the international community. The Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, raised our concerns about Xinjiang with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his last visit to China in July 2018. I, also raised our concerns with Vice Minister Guo Yezhou during his visit to China on 22 July 2018. Our Embassy in Beijing also regularly raises our concerns with the Chinese authorities.

On 19 March 2019, the Home Secretary announced a boost in funding for the hate crime Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme to £1.6 million for 2019/20 (including for Mosques). This is double the amount awarded in 2018/19. £5 million over three years has also been committed to providing security training to places of worship in England and Wales. This will enable staff and volunteers to develop the security understanding necessary to make physical security measures work effectively.

In addition to this, the Home Office announced on 19 April 2019 that it is supporting Faith Associates to provide security training and advice to Muslim places of worship in advance of Ramadan. This short-term, two-month project sits alongside the wider £5m fund for security training.

More widely, the Home Secretary has committed to consulting with faith communities to understand what more could and should be done to help protect faith communities at their places of worship. We are working with groups such as the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, Tell Mama and those representing other faiths as part of this consultation.

This increase in funding marks a significant change in our funding for protective security for Mosques and other places of worship. If the threat changes or there is a sense that more money is needed, we will always look at how we should respond.

The threat to places of worship from far-right violence is considered independently of government by the police and Joint Terrorism Assessment Centre (JTAC) and the police consider appropriate action to be taken in light of these assessments.

The Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme is a key Home Office commitment in the Hate Crime Action Plan to respond to concerns about faith-based hate crime. The scheme is open to Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu faiths and provides funding for physical security measures at places which are vulnerable to hate crime.

Decisions on funding are based on eligibility criteria set out in the Home Office guidance to applicants and the recommendations of the multi-faith independent advisory panel (with security expertise), this process therefore includes an assessment of vulnerability to hate crime. Last month, we announced an uplift of funding for the 2019/20 Places of Worship scheme to £1.6 million. This is double the amount awarded in 2018/19.

Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for setting local priorities and allocating budgets accordingly. Therefore, this information is not collected centrally

However, we know the Police and Crime Commissioner and their Chief Constables continue to place a high priority on protecting places of worship as part of their core activity particularly in relation to hate crime. Fol-lowing the attacks in New Zealand local police have increased patrolling and security measures around mosques and other places of worship to enhance safety and reassure the public

In addition, protective security advice is provided by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI). NaCTSO have published sector specific protective security advice and guidance for owners and operators of crowded places sites such as places of worship, to allow them to identify key risks and consider what steps to take.

Attacks on any place of worship are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our communities. We know there have been incidents at mosques following the New Zealand attacks, and we are aware of anxieties within communities around safety and security at places of worship.

The police continue to protect places of worship as part of their core priorities, and following the recent attacks on mosques, these patrols have been increased to provide enhanced safety and reassurance to all places of worship.

We recently announced an increase in funding for the Places of Worship Protective Security Fund to £1.6 million for 2019-20. This is double the amount awarded last year. This is the fourth year of the scheme, with just under 50 mosques granted funded over the first three years. In addition, we have committed £5 million over three years for the provision of security training to places of worship. We will be consulting with communities and faith groups to develop and deliver this new scheme as well as review what more should be done.

The Jewish Community Protective Security Grant was introduced in 2015 following a series of terrorist attacks against Jews and Jewish locations across Europe and the West, including Paris, Copenhagen, Brussels and Marseilles.

International terrorist propaganda, particularly by Daesh has repeatedly highlighted Jews as targets for terrorist attacks. The grant mainly funds security guarding at Jewish schools, nurseries and some synagogues

The Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme is specifically for the provision of protective security measures such as access control, fencing and lighting for places of worship that are vulnerable to hate crime attacks.

The Home Secretary announced a boost in funding for the hate crime Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme to £1.6 million for 2019/20. This is double the amount awarded in 2018/19. In addition, £5 million over three years has been committed to providing security training to places of worship in England and Wales.

This funding marks a significant change in our funding for protective security for places of worship. We also committed to consult with communities on what more can and should be done to protect faith communities. If the threat changes or there is a sense that more money is needed, we will always look at how we should respond.

We continue to encourage Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan to do all they can to work to together to continue to uphold the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem. We are committed to working with all parties to maintain calm, avoid provocation and ensure the safety and the security of the Al Haram Al Sharif/Temple Mount compound and all who worship there.

Police continue to protect places of worship as part of their core activity partic-ularly in relation to hate crime. Following the events in New Zealand and the attacks on mosques in Birmingham, local police have increased patrolling and security measures around mosques and other places of worship to enhance safety and reassure the public.

Last week, we announced an uplift of funding for the next year of the Places of Worship Protective Security Fund to £1.6 million. This is double the amount awarded last year. Under the 2016 Hate Crime Action Plan, we committed £2.4m over three years to provide protective security measures to places of worship who have been victim of or are vulnerable to hate crime attacks, and so far we have awarded grants to just under 50 mosques. The Government has also just announced a new £5 million fund over 3 years to provide security training for Places of Worship. We will be working closely with communities and faith leaders to develop this new scheme and deliver it effectively.

Protective security advice is provided by the National Counter Terrorism Secu-rity Office (NaCTSO), and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastruc-ture (CPNI). NaCTSO have published sector specific protective security ad-vice and guidance for owners and operators of crowded places sites such as places of worship, to allow them to identify key risks and consider what steps to take. Government continues to work closely with community groups, includ-ing Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group and Tell MAMA, as well as through counter extremism coordinators in local authority areas, to provide reassur-ance to communities and develop understanding of tensions and issues.

Last week, we announced an uplift of funding for the 2019/20 Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme to £1.6 million. This is double the amount awarded in 2018/19. Under the 2016 Hate Crime Action Plan, we committed £2.4m over three years to provide protective security measures to places of worship which have been subject to or are vulnerable to hate crime attacks, and so far we have awarded grants to just under 50 mosques. The 2019/20 scheme was announced as a fourth year of funding in October 2018.

The Home Office also announced last week a new £5 million fund over 3 years to provide security training for Places of Worship in England and Wales. This will enable staff and volunteers to develop the security understanding necessary to make physical security measures work effectively.

We are already engaging with faith representatives and organisations including the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, Tell Mamma and the Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, and will open a consultation shortly to review what more can be and should be done to protect faith communities more widely.

Police continue to protect places of worship as part of their core activity particularly in relation to hate crime. Following the events on Friday in New Zealand local police have increase patrolling and security measures around mosques and other places of worship to enhance safety and reassure the public.

Under the 2016 Hate Crime Action Plan we committed £2.4m over three years to provide protective security measure to places of worship who have been victim of or are vulnerable to hate crime attacks. Over the last three years we have awarded funding to just under 50 mosques. In October 2018 we committed to a fourth round of funding of the scheme in 2019/20. We continue to listen to communities to ensure the scheme continues to run as effectively as possible. Protective security advice is provided by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI). NaCTSO have published sector specific protective security advice and guidance for owners and operators of crowded places sites such as places of worship, to allow them to identify key risks and consider what steps to take.

Government continues to work closely with community groups, including through counter extremism coordinators in local authority areas to provide reassurance to communities and develop understanding of tensions and issues.

We estimate that there are around 1500 mosques and prayer halls in England. We do not hold any data on the number of madrassas.

The Home Office has already committed £2.4m over three years (2016/2019) to provide protective security measures to places of worship, including mosques, in England and Wales that have been subject or vulnerable to a hate crime.

In addition the Home Office committed £1m, following the Finsbury Park attack last year, to protect faith institutions which are vulnerable to attack on racial, religious or ideological grounds.

I am writing to the policing lead to reiterate Government support.

More broadly, operational decisions about the allocation of police resources are a matter for Chief Constables.

​We have not had any recent contact with the Government of Israel on this issue. However, we will seek to raise concerns over the respect for places of worship with the appropriate Israeli authorities in the near future.