The Home Office will launch an independent review of its controversial anti-terrorism strategy Prevent.

Security minister Ben Wallace announced an independent review of Prevent in the House of Commons, as MPs considered amendments to the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill. Prevent was launched in 2003 as part of the government’s counterterrorism strategy which aims to stop individuals from “getting involved or supporting terrorism or extremist activity”.

Figures released by the Home Office last December show that of the 7,318 people referred to the Prevent programme in 2017-18, a third were through education providers, more than the police. 4,144 of those referred to the programme were aged 20 or younger.

In 2016, the then National Union of Teachers (now part of the National Education Union) passed a motion calling on the government to remove the Prevent strategy from schools and colleges. The previous year it became a legal requirement for schools and colleges in England and Wales “to have due regard” to “prevent young people from being drawn into terrorism”. In July 2017, the University and College Union said the government should “conduct proper research” into the effectiveness of Prevent.

‘It is not perfect’

Announcing the review in the Commons, Mr Wallace said the strategy was due for an evaluation in 2020, but following an amendment put forward by the House of Lords, the government will now set about appointing a review panel within the next six months.

He added: “It will give an opportunity for those critics of Prevent to produce evidence because time and time again you have to spend your time knocking down allegations [about Prevent] without any evidence behind it.”

Mr Wallace said the strategy had diverted hundreds of people away from extremism but admitted that the programme “is not perfect and not everyone responds to it”.