Question reference: S6W-03291
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 23 September 2021
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Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 October 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations of the report of the public inquiry into Islamophobia in Scotland, what steps it is taking to address the reported shortfall in data about Islamophobia in Scotland.
Answer
We recognise that there is very limited data on Islamophobia in Scotland and that this is essential to effectively tackle Islamophobia in Scotland.
In respect of anti-Muslim hate crime, in February 2020, the Scottish Government published a research report ‘A Study of the Characteristics of Police Recorded Hate Crime in Scotland’. This is the first time that such information has been publicised, and includes information on the type of prejudice shown. In around one-quarter (26%) of religiously-aggravated hate crimes recorded in 2018-19, the perpetrator showed prejudice towards the Muslim community.
Another study into the characteristics of hate crimes recorded in 2020-21 is ongoing and is currently planned to be published in 2022. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 includes provision to require disaggregated data on hate crime to be published annually and we are currently developing our approach in partnership with justice agencies. This will provide key information about the nature of hate crime in Scotland, including information about those involved. Such data will be essential to effectively tackle hate crime in Scotland and to inform future interventions in this area.