Guidance

Independent Review of Prevent: Terms of Reference

Updated 22 March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the independent review, as set out in the legislation, is to review the government strategy for supporting people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.

Objectives

The review will consider the past and present delivery and impact of Prevent and make recommendations for future improvements to the strategy for supporting people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. The Review would consider the strategy as it relates to all forms of terrorism.

The review in particular will consider the following:

• is Prevent achieving its objectives to support those vulnerable to being drawn into any form of terrorism? These objectives, as set out in CONTEST 2018, are to:
  • tackle the causes of radicalisation and respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism
  • safeguard and support those most at risk of radicalisation through early intervention, identifying them and offering support
  • enable those who have already engaged in terrorism to disengage and rehabilitate
• how effectively and efficiently is Prevent being delivered at both the local and national levels and how well lessons are learned?
• how effectively does Prevent interact with other safeguarding and vulnerability strategies, and what are the critical dependencies and common threads?
• how effective is the Statutory Prevent Duty, and how effectively is it being implemented?
• how to respond to criticisms and complaints?
• what should the government consider in the development of its approach to engage with and support people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism over the next 5 years as the threat evolves?

Outputs

The Reviewer should provide a report which seeks to answer the questions listed above. The report should provide recommendations on changes to the UK’s strategy for supporting those vulnerable to being drawn into any form of terrorism. Any recommendations should be evidence-based and proportionate, with consideration given to their implementation.

Scope

The review should consider Prevent as set out in CONTEST (counter-terrorism strategy), most recently revised in June 2018, and not cover the delivery of other strategies, such as the other 3Ps (pursue, protect, prepare) of CONTEST or Counter-Extremism strategies except where they are relevant to Prevent (in line with the objectives set out above). The Review will include any implications of recent attacks or disrupted attacks in the UK. The Review will have due regard to freedom of speech in its deliberations.

The review will apply to England, Scotland and Wales with consultation with the devolved administrations as appropriate. The review will be focused on specified authorities (by legislation) but may include non-specified authorities, such as defence and immigration, by consent and if relevant. The review will consider efforts to reduce the risk from terrorism within the UK rather than Prevent activity done to reduce the risk to UK interests abroad.

Timing

The report, including any recommendations of the review, must be submitted to the Secretary of State for the Home Department by 30 September 2021 in time for the Secretary of State to respond to each recommendation and lay the review report and government response before both Houses of Parliament by 31 December 2021.

Governance and methodology

The Independent Reviewer will be appointed by, and accountable to, the Secretary of State for the Home Department for delivery of the review. Details of the governance which achieves this accountability and the methodology for the review - including evidence gathering, consultation with central government, devolved administrations and local partners, and engagement with local communities - will be agreed between the Reviewer and the Secretary of State by 31 March 2021. This will be set out in a way of working document.