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147

 

House of Commons

 
 

Tuesday 6th May 2008

 

Public Bill Committee

 

New Amendments handed in are marked thus Parliamentary Star

 

Other Amendments not tabled within the required notice period are marked thus Parliamentary Star - white

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill


 

Note

 

The Amendments have been arranged in accordance with the Order of the

 

Committee [22nd April 2008].

 


 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

12

 

Page  16,  line  14,  leave out Clause 22.

 


 

Mr Tony McNulty

 

75

 

Schedule  1,  page  70,  line  3,  after ‘(5)’ insert ‘to (7)’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

13

 

Page  61,  line  2,  leave out Schedule 1.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee: 6th May 2008                     

148

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

90

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  21,  leave out subsection (2) and insert—

 

‘(2)    

Subject to subsections (3) to (6), a constable may question a person about a

 

related terrorism offence where the person has already been charged with, or been

 

officially informed that they may be prosecuted for, a terrorism offence.’.

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

125

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  21,  leave out subsection (2) and insert—

 

‘(2A)    

Subject to subsections (2B) to (2E) a constable may question a person about a

 

related terrorism offence where the person has already been charged with, or been

 

officially informed that they may be prosecuted for, a terrorism offence.

 

(2B)    

A police officer of at least the rank of superintendent may make an application to

 

a judge of the High Court for permission to allow a constable to question a person

 

under subsection (2), if the police officer reasonably believes that the person may

 

be charged with a related terrorism offence.

 

(2C)    

A judge may grant permission for further questioning under subsection (2) only

 

if satisfied by evidence that:

 

(a)    

there are reasonable grounds for believing that the original charge was

 

appropriate to bring; and

 

(b)    

it is in the interests of justice to allow further questioning in the

 

circumstances.

 

(2D)    

Where a judge grants permission for further questioning under subsection (2C) he

 

shall make such directions as he considers appropriate with regard to:

 

(a)    

the maximum permitted period for further questioning;

 

(b)    

the total length of time over which further questioning is permitted; or

 

(c)    

any other directions as required in the interests of justice.

 

(2E)    

A related terrorism offence means a terrorism offence arising in whole or in part

 

from the same set of facts as the offence with which the person has already been

 

charged, or officially informed that they may be prosecuted.’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

14

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  25,  after ‘offence’, insert ‘, at any time up to the

 

commencement of the trial,’.

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

Patrick Mercer

 

91

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  26,  after ‘a’, insert ‘related’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

15

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  26,  leave out ‘or’ and insert ‘and’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 6th May 2008                     

149

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

17

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  32,  at end insert—

 

‘(iii)    

has, after satisfying himself that the original charge was

 

appropriate and that further questioning would be in the interests

 

of justice, given authority for the constable to question the

 

person.’.

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

92

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  32,  at end insert—

 

‘(3A)    

A police officer of at least the rank of superintendent may make an application to

 

a judge of the High Court for permission to allow a constable to question a person

 

under subsections (2) and (3) above if the police officer believes that the person

 

may be charged with a related terrorism offence.

 

(3B)    

A judge may grant permission for further questioning under subsection (2) and

 

(3) only if he is satisfied by evidence that—

 

(a)    

there are reasonable grounds for believing that the original charge was

 

appropriate to bring;

 

(b)    

it is in the interests of justice to allow further questioning in the

 

circumstances; and

 

(c)    

that further questioning would not be oppressive.

 

(3C)    

Where a judge grants permission for further questioning under subsection (3B) he

 

shall make such directions as he considers appropriate with regard to—

 

(a)    

the maximum permitted period for further questioning;

 

(b)    

the total length of time over which further questioning is permitted; or

 

(c)    

any other directions in the interests of justice,

 

    

and these directions shall be subject to variation on application by either party to

 

the same court.

 

(3D)    

A “related terrorism offence” means a terrorism offence arising in whole or in

 

part from the same set of facts as the offence with which the person has already

 

been charged, or officially informed that they may be prosecuted.’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

16

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  34,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

18

 

Clause  23,  page  16,  line  35,  at end insert—

 

‘(4A)    

Codes of practice made under subsection (4) must include provision for—

 

(a)    

questioning to take place only in the presence of a lawyer representing

 

the interests of the accused person;

 

(b)    

a transcript to be made available to the judge authorising the questioning

 

under subsection (3);

 

(c)    

the questioning to be subject to a video recording;


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 6th May 2008                     

150

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

(d)    

for the purpose of the questioning to be confined to questioning about

 

new evidence which has become available since the accused person was

 

charged; and

 

(e)    

preventing oppressive questioning by specifying appropriate time limits.

 

(4B)    

Prior to the commencement of the trial the judge must review any transcripts

 

made available to him under subsection (4A)(b) having regard to subsections

 

(4A)(d) and (e).’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

19

 

Clause  23,  page  17,  line  2,  leave out subsections (6) and (7).

 


 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

Patrick Mercer

 

93

 

Clause  25,  page  17,  line  29,  after second ‘a’, insert ‘related’.

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

Patrick Mercer

 

97

 

Clause  25,  page  17,  line  29,  leave out subsection (2) and insert—

 

‘(2)    

Subject to subsections (3) to (6), a constable may question a person about a

 

related terrorism offence where the person has already been charged with, or been

 

officially informed that they may be prosecuted for, a terrorism offence.’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

21

 

Clause  25,  page  17,  line  32,  at end insert ‘, at any time up to the commencement of

 

the trial,’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

22

 

Clause  25,  page  17,  line  32,  at end insert ‘, and

 

(c)    

a judge of the Crown Court has, after satisfying himself that the original

 

charge was appropriate and that further questioning would be in the

 

interests of justice, given authority for the constable to question the

 

person.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 6th May 2008                     

151

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

98

 

Clause  25,  page  17,  line  32,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

A police officer of at least the rank of superintendent may make an application to

 

a judge of the High Court for permission to allow a constable to question a person

 

under subsection (2) above if the police officer believes that the person may be

 

charged with a related terrorism offence.

 

(2B)    

A judge may grant permission for further questioning under subsection (2) only

 

if he is satisfied by evidence that—

 

(a)    

there are reasonable grounds for believing that the original charge was

 

appropriate to bring;

 

(b)    

it is in the interests of justice to allow further questioning in the

 

circumstances; and

 

(c)    

that further questioning would not be oppressive.

 

(2C)    

Where a judge grants permission for further questioning under subsection (2B) he

 

shall make such directions as he considers appropriate with regard to—

 

(a)    

the maximum permitted period for further questioning;

 

(b)    

the total length of time over which further questioning is permitted; or

 

(c)    

any other directions in the interests of justice,

 

    

and these directions shall be subject to variation on application by either party to

 

the same court.

 

(2D)    

A “related terrorism offence” means a terrorism offence arising in whole or in

 

part from the same set of facts as the offencfe with which the person has already

 

been charged, or officially informed that they may be prosecuted.’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

23

 

Clause  25,  page  17,  line  34,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

24

 

Clause  25,  page  17,  line  36,  at end insert—

 

‘(3A)    

Codes of practice made under subsection (3) must include provision for—

 

(a)    

questioning to take place only in the presence of a lawyer representing

 

the interests of the accused person;

 

(b)    

a transcript to be made available to the judge authorising the questioning

 

under subsection (3);

 

(c)    

the questioning to be subject to a video recording;

 

(d)    

for the purpose of the questioning to be confined to questioning about

 

new evidence which has become available since the accused person was

 

charged; and

 

(e)    

preventing oppressive questioning by specifying appropriate time limits.

 

(3B)    

Prior to the commencement of the trial the judge must review any transcripts

 

made available to him under subsection (3A)(b) having regard to subsections

 

(3A)(d) and (e).’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 6th May 2008                     

152

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

25

 

Clause  25,  page  18,  line  1,  leave out subsections (5) and (6).

 


 

Mr Tony McNulty

 

135

 

Clause  26,  page  18,  line  38,  leave out from ‘things)’ to end of line 39.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

26

 

Clause  26,  page  19,  line  11,  at end insert—

 

(e)    

the common law offences of murder, manslaughter, culpable homicide,

 

kidnapping or abduction, in relation to an offence listed in subsection (1)

 

above.’.

 


 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

166

 

Parliamentary Star    

Clause  27,  page  20,  line  17,  leave out subsection (4).

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

168

 

Parliamentary Star    

Clause  27,  page  20,  line  18,  leave out subsection (5).

 

Mr Tony McNulty

 

136

 

Clause  27,  page  20,  line  18,  at end insert—

 

‘( )    

The power conferred by subsection (4) may be exercised so as to add offences to

 

subsection (2) or (3) only if it appears to the Secretary of State necessary to do so

 

for the purpose of dealing with terrorism.’.

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

167

 

Parliamentary Star    

Clause  27,  page  20,  line  19,  leave out subsection (6).

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

126

 

Clause  27,  page  20,  line  19,  after ‘offence’, insert ‘with terrorism connections’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 6th May 2008                     

153

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

50

 

Clause  27,  page  20,  line  20,  at end add—

 

‘(7)    

Where this section applies to an offence committed in Scotland, proceedings may

 

only be taken in another part of the United Kingdom following consultation with,

 

and with the consent of, the Lord Advocate.’.

 


 

Mr Tony McNulty

 

76

 

Clause  29,  page  20,  line  32,  after ‘If’ insert ‘having regard to the material before it

 

for the purposes of sentencing’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

27

 

Clause  29,  page  20,  line  33,  leave out ‘court’ and insert ‘jury’.

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

128

 

Clause  29,  page  20,  line  34,  after ‘and’, insert ‘the jury’.

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

129

 

Clause  29,  page  20,  line  37,  leave out first ‘court’ and insert ‘jury’.

 

Tom Brake

 

Mr David Heath

 

28

 

Clause  29,  page  20,  line  37,  leave out ‘determines’ and insert ‘is satisfied beyond

 

reasonable doubt’.

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

169

 

Parliamentary Star    

Clause  29,  page  20,  line  40,  leave out subsection (5).

 



 
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