PREVENT DUTY

EB is asked to note the new statutory duty and approve the recommendations in the report
Executive Summary
Section 29 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 is expected to come into force in September 2015, and from that point, we will need to demonstrate compliance. The Prevent duty comes under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, and requires universities and other authorities to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
It is important to stress that the duty is not about monitoring of students, but ensuring that all staff are trained and confident to deal with concerns or issues they may observe in the normal course of their work or may have been brought to their attention.
Sponsored by Laura Gibbs, Registrar
Recommendations
Executive Board is asked to approve the establishment of a School-lead. It is recommended that this is the Registrar.
Executive Board is also asked to approve the establishment of a working group to understand the risk, ensure compliance with the duty and carry out the required actions.
Financial Impact
It is not anticipated that the new duty will create large new burdens on institutions and it should be implemented in a proportionate and risk-based way. Therefore, the financial impact should be minimal.
Risks
Compliance with the duty is a prerequisite of our continued licence to take students from outside the EU. Non-compliance with the duty may result in a mandatory direction enforced by the Secretary of State under Section 30 of the Act.
Equality implications
Implementation must be managed in a sensitive and proportionate manner to ensure School-wide engagement. A review of policies relating to campus and student welfare, including equality and diversity and the safety and welfare of students and staff must be carried out under the recommended actions of the duty.

Prevent Duty

Background

The Prevent duty comes under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, and requires universities and other authorities to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

Young people continue to make up a disproportionately high number of those arrested in this country for terrorist-related offences. The Prevent duty guidance notes that universities must be vigilant and aware of this risk.

Some students may arrive at universities already committed to terrorism, others may become radicalised while attending university as a result of activities on or off campus and through interaction with fellow students and their social media activity. Further guidance will be issued on the management of external speakers and events, including the interaction of the Prevent duty with universities’ existing duties to secure freedom of speech and academic freedom. In the meantime, it is recommended that universities continue to use the UUK guidance aimed at assisting universities in managing external speakers on campus.

Section 29 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 is expected to come into force in September 2015, and from that point, we will need to demonstrate compliance. The activity is non-negotiable and compliance will be a prerequisite of our continued licence to take students from outside the EU.

The Act places a duty on specified authorities, including HEIs, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. The aim of the Prevent strategy is to reduce the threat to the UK from terrorism by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism through three strategic objectives:

  • Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it;
  • Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support; and
  • Work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to address.

The Government has defined extremism in the Prevent strategy as ‘vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also include in our definition of extremism calls for the death of members of the armed forces.’

The Prevent work is intended to deal with all kinds of terrorist threats to the UK. The most significant of these threats is currently from terrorist organisations in Syria and Iraq, and Al Qa’ida associated groups, but terrorists associated with the extreme right also pose a continued threat to safety and security.

Requirements

To comply with the duty, specified authorities should demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the risk of radicalisation in their institution. The following requirements have been set out in the guidelines:

Leadership

Those in leadership are required to establish or use existing mechanisms for understanding the risk of radicalisation. They are responsible for ensuring staff understand the risk and have the capabilities to implement the duty effectively. The School lead does not have to be the head of the institution.

Working in partnership

Senior management of the university, including VCs where appropriate, should have evidence of active engagement and productive cooperation with local Prevent coordinators, the police, local authorities and multi-agency forums must be shown.

Capabilities

Frontline staff who engage with the public must understand what radicalisation means and why people are vulnerable to terrorist activity as a result. They need to be aware of the support and measures available to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and how to challenge its associated extremist ideology. Training must be made available to staff involved in the implementation of the duty.

Sharing information

The Prevent programme specifies that authorities may need to share personal information to ensure an at-risk person is provided with appropriate support. Information sharing must be assessed on a case-by-case basis and is governed by the Data Protection Act and Common Law Duty of Confidentiality.

People suspected of being involved in illegal terrorist-related activity must be referred to the police.

SOAS is expected to comply with the duty, maintain appropriate records and provide reports when requested. Non-compliance with the duty may result in a mandatory direction enforced by the Secretary of State under Section 30 of the Act.

Actions for SOAS

Executive Board is asked tonote the statutory duty andapprove the following actions, as recommended by the Prevent guidance:

  • The establishment of a School-lead. It is recommended that this is the Registrar.
  • The establishment of a working group to understand the risk and ensure compliance with the duty and Act. The group will comprise representation from across all staff as well as staff union representation and the Students’ Union. The work of the group will include:

+Implementing procedures and policies to ensure School-wide compliance;

  • Review of policies relating to campus and student welfare, including equality and diversity, safety and welfare of students and staff;
  • Review of policies relating to the management of the university estate, including policies and procedures for events held by staff, students and visitors; and relationships with external bodies and community groups who may use the premises or work in partnership with the institution;
  • Implement robust procedures internally and externally for sharing information about vulnerable individuals;
  • Implementation or revision of policies relating to the use of IT equipment which must make specific reference to the statutory duty and consider the use of filters to prevent people being drawn into terrorism;
  • Clear policies and procedures for students and staff working on sensitive or extremism-related research;
  • Policies and training for the Students’ Union relating setting out the activities that are and are not allowed to take place on campus, and any online activity directly related to the university;

+Communication and promotion of the importance of the duty;

+Seeking and consulting students on plans for implementing the duty;

+Using internal mechanisms to share information about Prevent across the School;

+Regular contact with the Prevent coordinators, Kat Cooper and Chris Bowles (contact information can be found on

+A risk assessment for SOAS, including details of where and how students might be at risk of being drawn into terrorism;

+Development of a Prevent action plan to mitigate any risks identified;

+Provision of Prevent awareness training to staff involved in the implementation of the duty and frontline staff to enable them torecognise vulnerability,prevent people from being drawn into terrorism, challenge extremist ideas and understand when to make referrals to the Channel programme. Training is widely available and can be organised through the Prevent coordinators, AHUA and UUK;

+Sufficient chaplaincy and pastoral support available for all students, training for welfare/pastoral/chaplaincy support staff and, policies related to the use of and any issues arising from the use of prayer rooms and similar facilities.

Further information

1