HL Deb 21 February 2005 vol 669 c148WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by the Attorney-General on 31 January (Official Report, col. WA 4–5), whether any of the prosecutions or potential prosecutions for offences under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986 involved conduct which was, or might have been, motivated by reference to a person's religion; if so, what were the relevant circumstances; and what were the outcomes of those cases. [HL1162]

The Attorney-General (Lord Goldsmith)

It is not possible to provide the requested information as the prosecution statistics on incitement to racial hatred do not record information of this nature.

All previous prosecutions and potential prosecutions were considered against the requirements of the incitement to racial hatred offences, including whether there was an intention to stir up racial hatred or whether racial hatred was likely to be stirred up. As incitement to religious hatred is not currently an offence, and has not been in the past, those cases were not considered by reference to whether they involved conduct which was, or might have been, motivated by reference to a person's religion.