The British Government has said it has no plans to compile a watchlist of faith leaders as part of its ‘anti-extremism’ strategy.

Following a previous report by the Christian Institute’s that the government was planning, in draft legislation, to create a national register and impose a requirement for faith leaders to undergo security checks before engaging with the public, the Institute now reports that Conservative MPs have moved to reassure religious communities that no such plans will be contained in any final legislation towards combating extremism.

Responding to a letter sent by the Institute on the matter, Home Office Minister Mike Penning said: “The Government will publish its Counter-Extremism strategy in the near future” but added there are “no plans for a national register of faith leaders”.

Welcoming the announcement, the Christian Institute nevertheless pointed out that there are still elements of the anti-extremism strategy which are of concern to faith communities, not least plans to enact Extremism Disruption Orders (EDOs), a device through which the government hopes to be able to silence what it views as fundamentalist messages. Under the draft plans, religious preachers would not be immune from such orders, raising the possibility that preachers could be punished for preaching against same-sex marriage, for example.

Colin Hart, director of the Christian Institute said EDOs “remain a cause for deep concern”.