Select committee: Home Affairs Committee
Conclusion 9
7th Report – Combatting new forms of extremism
Published 1 Apr 2026
Addressed to Home Office
Home Affairs Committee Combatting New Forms of Extremism All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Prevent is poorly adapted to deal with the digital world. We have outlined how online spaces are now central to the radicalisation process, particularly for young people, yet Prevent lacks the specialist knowledge or framework for identifying and assessing credible risk signals from online behaviour. Integration of Prevent into wider safeguarding systems is being hampered by poorly resourced, over-stretched and siloed agencies working against mis-aligned priorities. Against this backdrop, Prevent has become a fast track to support, even where concerns are not terrorism- related, and particularly in relation to accessing mental health support. (Conclusion, Paragraph 89)
From: Home Affairs Committee, 7th Report – Combatting new forms of extremism (HC 903), 1 April 2026
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 11 June 2026 (deadline 1 June 2026).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government's response sets out existing and planned actions on extremism, including a 'fundamental reset of how we counter extremism', rather than a point-by-point acceptance or rejection of the Committee's recommendations.
- On Prevent and non-ideological cases, the Government says its February guidance "clearly sets out that, while ideology is an important consideration, it is not mandatory for a Prevent referral". It adds that Prevent is a counter-terrorism capability, so where there is no terrorism concern, "alternative local support services should be considered".
- On a research and evidence programme, it commits to publish a first annual 'State of Extremism' report "by the end of 2026" and is increasing analytical resource for horizon scanning. It does not set out a standalone research programme.
- On Com networks, the Home Office "agrees that tackling Com networks requires effective coordination" across government, law enforcement, regulators and safeguarding partners. It says it "continues to consider" whether the legal and regulatory framework provides the right tools.
- It commits to bring forward legislation on violence-fixated individuals "in this parliamentary session" and to a Home Office-led taskforce. It is also reviewing Prevent training "with a view to refreshing its content over the course of the next year".