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Home Office to recruit new independent reviewer of Prevent

New appointment to be made after legal challenge removed first choice who was former a reviewer of terrorism legislation
Published - 28/04/2020 By - Gary Mason

The Home Office is to recruit a new Independent Reviewer of the Prevent counter radicalisation strategy after it was forced to stand down its initial choice for the role following a legal challenge by a human rights group last year.

The future of the independent review which was announced during the passage of the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 in February 2019, was in some doubt after Lord Alex Carlile, QC was removed from the programme after a challenge from Rights Watch UK.

The group objected to Lord Carlisle on the grounds that in the past be had declared his support for the programme.

This was despite the fact that the former Liberal Democrat MP and independent reviewer of terrorism legislation had publicly stated after his appointment to the role that “nothing was off the table” including scrapping the Prevent programme.

He said: “The task of this review is to critically examine and report on the government strategy for supporting people assessed to be vulnerable to be drawn into terrorism.

“How has Prevent met its objectives? What has been the effect of the statutory Prevent duty? Has Prevent overreached in its assessments of the risks presented by individuals? Is Prevent understood and accepted by the public including particularly affected communities? Is there a future for Prevent, or for something like it? If so, how should it look, and be scrutinised? Nothing is off the table.”

The government committed to carrying out an independent review of Prevent in February last year. It said the review must be completed, together with a government response to it, by 12 August 2020.

The Independent Reviewer would be supported by a dedicated review team based separately from the Home Office’s Prevent team.

Terms of reference for the review of Prevent were also ‘reconsidered’ by the Home Office after the legal challenge

Announcing the recruitment process for a new independent reviewer today, Security Minister James Brokenshire said: “Prevent gives vulnerable people the support they need to protect them from terrorist recruiters.

“We are always looking at how we can make the programme more effective, which is why we are committed to this Independent Review. I look forward to the appointment of the Reviewer so they can get on with their vital work.”

The Home Office says the appointment of the next reviewer will be through a full and open competition. This will involve an advisory assessment panel, with an independent chair, that will review the applications and interview shortlisted candidates.

Applications for the post will be open until 11pm on 1 June. 

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