News In Focus
26 July 2007
Terror cases could see new magistrate role
Continental-style investigating judges could be introduced in terrorism cases along with extended powers to detain suspects without charge, the Prime Minister announced yesterday.
In a major statement on security to the House of Commons, Gordon Brown also put forward a unified border force combining immigration, customs and UK visa agencies at the main points of entry to the UK as a means of co-ordinating controls on suspects.
The use of "specialist circuit judges" to take over from the police after a suspect has been detained for 48 hours is one option proposed for pre-charge detention. It is not explained how this would sit alongside the Scottish prosecution system. Mr Brown also wants to double the maximum period of detention of terrorist suspects without charge from the current 28 days to 56, through extensions of seven days at a time each sanctioned by a judge.
In 2005 the Commons rejected at attempt to enact a maximum of 90 days, but a House of Commons Select Committee last year reported that the period would need to be extended, a conclusion supported by senior police officers.
Opposition parties criticised the plans for a border force since there would be no additional resources or new powers. The Conservatives accused Mr Brown of stealing their policy but in an ineffective form, while Liberal Democrat spokesman Nick Clegg said the Prime Minister was creating a media splash rather than making a substantive announcement.
Other measures announced in yesterday's statement were:
- electronic exit controls from the UK, to permit checking of passports against the "warnings index", from 2009;
- biometric visas for applicants from March 2008;
- a review of how to protect crowded public places and the national infrastructure such as utilities and the transport network;
- a consultation on tighter bail conditions and travel restrictions on people suspected of involvement in terrorism;
- a review of the use of surveillance evidence by a body including senior politicians from the main parties.