UK Parliament Opens Inquiry into Failures in Mosque Security Protection Programme

UK Parliament Opens Inquiry into Failures in Mosque Security Protection Programme
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The UK Parliament has launched an inquiry into shortcomings in the government programme designed to protect mosques, Islamic centres and religious schools from hate crimes. The investigation follows reports of delays in providing security assistance and a lack of transparency in the allocation of funding to Muslim institutions.

A cross-party parliamentary group has begun gathering evidence and testimonies from local Islamic institutions to assess the effectiveness of existing protection measures and identify barriers preventing mosques from accessing government support. The group has invited mosques and Islamic centres to submit details of their security concerns and experiences with the funding programme, setting November 22 as the deadline for submissions.

The UK Home Office allocates up to £40 million annually to programmes protecting institutions against hate crimes. However, reports indicate that some Muslim institutions have waited as long as two years for decisions on their applications, while others have reportedly been rejected without adequate explanations. British MP Andrew Pakes said mosques face difficulties accessing security funding, compounded by unclear application procedures and eligibility criteria.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said the inquiry aims to evaluate the government programme, identify its weaknesses and explore more effective ways to safeguard Muslims and worshippers at religious institutions.