(Non-Afl):...I
declare an interest as a volunteer on the Government’s advisory
board, along with a number of other noble Lords. I wish to raise
the issue of voluntary organisations and how they may contribute to
counterterror work, specifically the example we have in this
country, which is without question the best such example anywhere
in the world—the Community Security Trustwhich
provides security and co-ordinates with the security services—using
the term in its widest sense—in this country, and has done so for
some considerable years to great effect.
There was a time when a number in the Jewish community were
rather blasé and complacent about the need for the organisation.
Some would raise it discretely with me, 10 years ago perhaps.
They have been shaken from that complacency by seeing what has
happened in this country in terrorism generally and, more
specifically, what has happened to the Jewish community in other
parts of the world. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that
there would be people who would be alive if some other countries
had been able to have an organisation that mirrored the
Community Security Trust in operation. I am
talking about wealthy and advanced countries, in Europe and North
America, where there have been terrorist outrages against the
Jewish community. Often, when you have something working so
successfully and brilliantly, one ignores it, because the
sensational headline is not there, precisely because of the
mundanity of everyday successful work.
The reason for raising this in this debate, other than to bring
further attention to the success of Gerald Ronson and the
Community Security Trust is that the Home Office
has, within its powers as a department, very responsibly
part-funded the Community Security Trust over
the years and backed up the money that Mr Ronson and others have
raised—and they have been substantial amounts. The
CST is potentially transferrable to other
communities in this country. I know that in recent times there
have been significant discussions between the
CST and Government about the initial work that
the CST has done to train and equip other
communities in this country to similarly organise and defend
themselves against the threat of terrorist attack, from wherever
it may come. There are many different directions and ideologies
that could lead to attacks on any one community.
It would be wise for the Government to invest in facilitating the
speeding-up of the work being done by the Community
Security Trust with other communities. That would be to
the advantage of the nation. I strongly implore the Government to
see whether that support to speed up and deepen the work already
going on can go further and faster. To those listening from other
countries, I think that more countries should be coming, looking,
observing and learning the lessons of this great British success.
The Home Office has played its part; I simply urge it to choose
an even bigger and wiser part to play in the near future.
The Minister of State, Home Office () (Con):...The noble Lord, , talked about the
CST and other voluntary organisations that have
been very successful in identifying people who wish to do harm to
our communities. I absolutely pay tribute to the
CST. I have seen its work in action and have
seen how it has worked with other organisations, such as Tell
MAMA. It is also involved in countering hate crime towards the
LGBT community. I hope that its work goes on for many more years
to come.
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