Community Cohesion

Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab)
9.  What progress his Department has made in advancing the agenda set out in its publication “Creating the conditions for integration”, published in February 2012.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Stephen Williams)
We are supporting more than 30 projects to break down barriers, encourage community cohesion and celebrate what we have in common. During this holy month of Ramadan, it is appropriate to single out the Big Iftar 2014, when British mosques and community groups host non-Muslims as they share iftar after sunset. This demonstration of community integration in action has expanded from 30 events last year to well over 100 this year.

Mr Sharma
The Minister has slashed the budget for cohesion and anti-extremism work in the DCLG and cut back on the programmes being funded. That has led to a deterioration in our ability to deal with extremism. Does he think that was wise?

Stephen Williams
I am not aware of any slashing of budgets for community integration groups. I visit projects up and down the country, including in Ealing, where a great many community projects are undertaken, including the teaching of the English language and the Near Neighbours programme—a major £8 million investment, announced by the Secretary of State, the Archbishop of Canterbury and me, that is operating in several boroughs in London.

Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab)
Are not Government policies driving social division, particularly in education? Has the Minister had a word with the Secretary of State for Education to try to prevent him from causing further damage in that direction?

Stephen Williams
One such example of community cohesion is in Luton. This coming Sunday, I will be in Luton visiting a Remembering Srebrenica event and a  Big Iftar event. That will celebrate the bringing together of people in Luton and I hope to see the hon. Gentleman there.