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Consideration of Bill: 11th June 2008                  

2640

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

(2)    

“Independent legal advice” means advice from a lawyer other than a government

 

lawyer.

 

(3)    

A “lawyer” means—

 

(a)    

as respects England and Wales, a person who, for the purposes of the

 

Legal Services Act 2007, is an authorised person in relation to an activity

 

which constitutes the exercise of a right of audience or the conduct of

 

litigation (within the meaning of that Act);

 

(b)    

as respects Scotland, an advocate (whether in practice as such or

 

employed to give legal advice), or a solicitor who holds a practising

 

certificate;

 

(c)    

as respects Northern Ireland—

 

(i)    

a barrister (whether in practice as such or employed to give legal

 

advice); or

 

(ii)    

a solicitor who holds a practising certificate.

 

(4)    

Until the commencement of the relevant provisions of the Legal Services Act

 

2007, the following is substituted for subsection (3)(a)—

 

“(a)    

as respects England and Wales—

 

(i)    

a barrister (whether in practice as such or employed to

 

give legal advice);

 

(ii)    

a solicitor who holds a practising certificate; or

 

(iii)    

a person other than a barrister or solicitor who is an

 

authorised advocate or authorised litigator (within the

 

meaning of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990);”.

 

(5)    

A “government lawyer” means a lawyer who holds, or has held, an office (other

 

than judicial office) or employment under the Crown.

 

(6)    

If an order under section [Power to declare reserve power exercisable] is made

 

the Secretary of State must lay before Parliament at the same time as the

 

statement required by section [Statement to be laid before Parliament] a copy of

 

the advice obtained under this section.

 

(7)    

If it appears to the Secretary of State that the advice contains material whose

 

disclosure—

 

(a)    

would be damaging to the public interest, or

 

(b)    

might prejudice the prosecution of any person,

 

    

the duty of Secretary of State under subsection (6) is to lay before Parliament a

 

copy of a version of the advice, provided by or agreed with the independent legal

 

adviser, that does not contain such material.’.

 



 
 

Consideration of Bill: 11th June 2008                  

2641

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Extension of detention under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

John Austin

 

John McDonnell

 

Jeremy Corbyn

 

Mr Dai Havard

 

Total signatories: 8

 

NC1

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Terrorism Act 2000, Schedule 8, Part III (extension of detention under

 

section 41) is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

After sub-paragraph (6) of paragraph 29 (warrants of further detention) there is

 

inserted—

 

“(7)    

Nothing in this Part is to be read as requiring the judicial authority to act

 

in a manner inconsistent with the right of the specified person to a fully

 

judicial procedure in Article 5(4) of the European Convention on Human

 

Rights.”.

 

(3)    

After sub-paragraph (d) of paragraph 31(notices) there is inserted—

 

“(e)    

a statement of the suspicion which forms the basis for the

 

person’s original arrest and continued detention, and

 

(f)    

the gist of the material on which the suspicion is based.”.

 

(4)    

Before sub-sub-paragraph (a) of sub-paragraph 32(1) (grounds for extension)

 

there is inserted—

 

“(aa)    

there are reasonable grounds for believing that the person has

 

been involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of a

 

terrorist offence,”.

 

(5)    

Sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 33 (representation) is deleted and there is inserted

 

in its place—

 

“(1)    

The person to whom an application relates shall be entitled—

 

(a)    

to appear in person before the judicial authority and make oral

 

representations about the application,

 

(b)    

to be legally represented by counsel at the hearing,

 

(c)    

to legal aid for such representation,

 

(d)    

to be represented by a special advocate at any closed part of the

 

hearing of the application, and

 

(e)    

through his representative, to cross examine the investigating

 

officer.”.

 

(6)    

After sub-paragraph (3)(b) of paragraph 33 there is inserted—

 

    

“if the judicial authority is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for

 

believing that the exclusion of the person and/or his representative is

 

necessary in order to avoid any of the harms set out in sub-paragraphs (1)

 

to (g) of paragraph 34(2) below.”’.

 



 
 

Consideration of Bill: 11th June 2008                  

2642

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Lower threshold for charging in terrorism cases

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

John Austin

 

John McDonnell

 

Jeremy Corbyn

 

Mr Dai Havard

 

Total signatories: 8

 

NC2

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

When deciding whether there is sufficient evidence to charge a person with an

 

offence having a terrorist connection, a Crown Prosecutor may apply the

 

“Threshold Test” for charging if the conditions in subsection (3) below are

 

satisfied.

 

(2)    

The “Threshold Test” for charging is met where there is at least a reasonable

 

suspicion that the suspect has committed an offence having a terrorist connection.

 

(3)    

The conditions which must be satisfied for the Threshold Test to apply are—

 

(a)    

it would not be appropriate to release the suspect on bail after charge;

 

(b)    

the evidence required to demonstrate a realistic prospect of conviction is

 

not yet available; and

 

(c)    

it is reasonable to believe that such evidence will become available

 

within a reasonable time.

 

(4)    

The factors to be considered in deciding whether the Threshold Test of reasonable

 

suspicion is met include—

 

(a)    

the evidence available at the time;

 

(b)    

the likelihood and nature of further evidence being obtained;

 

(c)    

the reasonableness for believing that evidence will become available;

 

(d)    

the time it will take to gather that evidence and the steps being taken to

 

do so;

 

(e)    

the impact the expected evidence will have on the case;

 

(f)    

the charges that the evidence will support.

 

(5)    

Where a Crown Prosecutor make a charging decision in accordance with the

 

Threshold Test, the person charged shall be immediately informed of the fact that

 

they have been charged on the standard of reasonable suspicion.

 

(6)    

When the person charged on the Threshold Test is brought before the Court it

 

shall be the duty of the Crown Prosecutor to inform the Court of that fact.

 

(7)    

The Court shall set a timetable for the receipt of the additional evidence and for

 

the application of the normal test for charging as set out in the Code for Crown

 

Prosecutors.

 

(8)    

The Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service shall report annually on

 

the operation of the Threshold Test in terrorism cases.’.

 



 
 

Consideration of Bill: 11th June 2008                  

2643

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Bail for terrorism offences

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

John Austin

 

Ann Clwyd

 

John McDonnell

 

Jeremy Corbyn

 

Total signatories: 9

 

NC3

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Terrorism Act 2000, Schedule 8, is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

After paragraph 37 there is inserted—

 

“Part IV

 

Bail

 

38         

The judicial authority with power to extend detention under section 41

 

has power to release the suspect on bail, with conditions.”’.

 


 

Compensation for detention

 

Harry Cohen

 

Frank Cook

 

Mr Andrew Love

 

NC31

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Secretary of State must, within twelve months of the date on which this Act

 

is passed, make regulations providing for a compensation scheme (“the scheme”)

 

governing payments made to suspects who are detained under the provisions of

 

Schedule [Amendments relating to period of pre-charge detention] and not

 

charged with an offence.

 

(2)    

The scheme shall specify levels of payments to be made to suspects so detained

 

and different levels may be set for different periods of detention.

 

(3)    

The Secretary of State may by order vary the levels of compensation set by the

 

scheme.

 

(4)    

Regulations and orders made under this section are subject to affirmative

 

resolution procedure.’.

 



 
 

Consideration of Bill: 11th June 2008                  

2644

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Expiry or renewal of extended maximum detention period: further parliamentary

 

safeguards

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

John Austin

 

NC33

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Terrorism Act 2006 is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

After subsection (6) of section 25, there is inserted—

 

“(6A)    

The Secretary of State and the panel appointed under section 36 must lay

 

annual reports before Parliament on the operation of the extended period

 

of pre-charge detention.

 

(6B)    

No motion to approve a draft order under subsection (6) may be made by

 

a Minister of the Crown until one month has elapsed since the publication

 

of the reports laid under section (6A).”.

 

(3)    

In section 36—

 

(a)    

in subsection (1) for “person” there is inserted “panel of persons”;

 

(b)    

in subsection (2)—

 

(i)    

for “That person” there is inserted “The panel”;

 

(ii)    

for “he” there is inserted “it”; and

 

(iii)    

for “his” there is inserted “its”;

 

(c)    

in subsection (3)—

 

(i)    

for “That person” there is inserted “The panel”; and

 

(ii)    

for “his” there is inserted “its”;

 

(d)    

in subsection (4), for “That person” there is inserted “The panel”;

 

(e)    

in subsection (6)—

 

(i)    

for “a person” there is inserted “the persons”; and

 

(ii)    

for “his” there is inserted “their”.

 

(4)    

In section 36, after subsection (1) there is inserted—

 

“(1A)    

A person may not be appointed under subsection (1) unless—

 

(a)    

the Secretary of State lays a report on the appointment process

 

before both Houses of Parliament, and

 

(b)    

a Minister of the Crown makes a motion in both Houses to

 

approve the report laid under this subsection.”.’.

 



 
 

Consideration of Bill: 11th June 2008                  

2645

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

Power to declare reserve power exercisable (No. 2)

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

NC36

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘An order made by the Secretary of State under section [Power to declare reserve

 

power exercisable] shall be treated for the purposes of the Human Rights Act as

 

subordinate legislation and not primary legislation.’.

 


 

Power to declare reserve power exercisable (No. 3)

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

NC37

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘The grounds on which an order made by the Secretary of State under section

 

[Power to declare reserve power exercisable] shall be subject to judicial review

 

shall include—

 

(a)    

that a grave exceptional terrorist threat has not occurred or is not

 

occurring;

 

(b)    

that the reserve power is not needed for the purpose of investigating the

 

threat and bringing to justice those responsible; and

 

(c)    

that the need for the power is not urgent.’.

 


 

Amendment to section 25 of the Terrorism Act 2006

 

Mr Nick Clegg

 

Dr Vincent Cable

 

Chris Huhne

 

Tom Brake

 

David Howarth

 

Paul Burstow

 

NC38

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

Section 25 of the Terrorism Act 2006 (c. 11) (expiry or renewal of extended

 

maximum detention period) is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

After subsection (3), insert—

 

“(3A)    

 

(a)    

The Secretary of State may only make an order under subsection

 

(3) if she is reasonably satisfied that making the order is

 

necessary for the effective investigation of terrorist offences.

 

(b)    

In determining what is necessary for the effective investigation

 

of terrorist offences the Secretary of State must take into account

 

the availability of post-charge questioning, the practice of the

 

Crown Prosecution Service in relation to the weight of evidence


 
 

Consideration of Bill: 11th June 2008                  

2646

 

Counter-Terrorism Bill, continued

 
 

required to bring charges and any changes to the relevant law of

 

evidence or procedure since this Act came into force.”’.

 


 

Habeas Corpus (No. 2)

 

Mr William Cash

 

Mr David Wilshire

 

Mr Richard Bacon

 

Mr Philip Hollobone

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Philip Davies

 

Total signatories: 26

 

Mark Pritchard

 

Mr Peter Bone

 

Mr Nigel Evans

 

Mr Roger Gale

 

Mr Brian Binley

 

Ann Winterton

 

Sir Nicholas Winterton

 

Mr Douglas Carswell

 

Mrs Nadine Dorries

 

Mr Charles Walker

 

Mr David Amess

 

David T.C. Davies

 

Tony Baldry

 

Mr Christopher Chope

 

Mr Edward Leigh

 

Christopher Fraser

 

Patrick Mercer

 

Mr Adam Holloway

 

Mr Mark Field

 

Mr Bernard Jenkin

 

NC39

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

Nothing in this Act shall prevent or restrict a person who is detained under this

 

Act or a person duly authorised on behalf of that person from making an

 

application to a Justice of the High Court for habeas corpus.

 

(2)    

It shall be a condition of the detention that the person detained shall be produced

 

forthwith to a Justice of the High Court or to a senior immigration judge

 

authorised to sit as a member of the Special Immigration Appeal Commission

 

who shall enquire as to—

 

(a)    

the circumstances of the detention;

 

(b)    

the enquiries that are being made;

 

(c)    

the likelihood of the detained person being charged within 42 days of any

 

offence of terrorism or related serious indictable offence.

 

(3)    

If the Justice of the High Court or senior immigration judge is not satisfied as to

 

the likelihood of the person detained being charged within 42 days that person

 

shall be released forthwith from detention subject to any conditions the judge may

 

impose.’.

 



 
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Revised 11 June 2008