MP tells of anti-terror jobs drive after three UK attacks

THE Government is seeking to recruit additional counterterrorism staff after three attacks in the UK over eight months, MPS have heard.

In the Commons, Justice Minister Lucy Frazer indicated that more staff and approved premises for offenders to transition from prison to communities are being sought.

Ms Frazer also said deradicalisation programmes being operated in prisons were being “continually evaluated”.

Speaking during Justice Questions, Conservative MP Laura Farris (Newbury) asked the Government what improvements could be made to deradicalisation programmes to help prevent terrorist attacks.

She said: “In the last eight months, we’ve seen three terrorist attacks – in Streatham, Fishmongers’ Hall and most recently in Forbury Gardens – where the assailant had either just been released from prison or was out on licence.

“What improvements does (Ms Frazer) think could be made to deradicalisation programmes to prevent these lone-wolf postrelease attacks?”

Ms Frazer responded: “We have 22 trained imams doing deradicalisation programmes in our prisons but those aren’t just the measures that we are introducing.

“We have increased our training for prison and probation officers to deal with terrorism, we’re bringing in new national standards for managing terrorists on licence.

“We want more counter-terrorism staff and we want more places in approved premises as a transition from prison to the community.”

She said counterterrorism police funding would also increase this year by £90 million.