New Measures To Tackle Extremism

Schools, hospitals and universities across the UK - including Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire - are being told to do more to tackle extremism.

From today, all public bodies are now legally required to tackle radicalisation and people being drawn into terrorism.

The new statutory duty means schools in particular will have to report pupils who could become radicalised.

They'll also need to show that kids are being protected from terrorism, and identify children they think are at risk.

Security Minister John Hayes said: “We have seen all too starkly and tragically the dangers of radicalisation and the devastating impact it can have on individuals, families and communities.

“The new Prevent duty is about protecting people from the poisonous and pernicious influence of extremist ideas that are used to legitimise terrorism.

“Protecting those who are vulnerable and at risk of radicalisation is a job for all of us. The new duty will make sure key bodies across the country play their part and work in partnership, as part of our one nation approach to bring the country together to tackle extremism.”

Superintendent Darren Downs from Humberside Police says the force is already working closely with partner agencies to help tackle extremism. He told Viking FM:

"We have a prevent group and we work with all those agencies and what it means now is that thye can be physically inspected and held to account for what they have or haven't done in relation to this area.

"A lot of schools, local authorities and partners have been doing this for some time but what it means is that they are now accountable for it whereas before if they didn't do anything around extremism, they weren't held to account whereas now they can be."