Downing Street Says » Counter Terrorism

» Monday, November 5, 2007

Counter Terrorism

Asked whether the Prime Minister was still convinced about the need to increase the period of time terror suspects could be kept in custody, the PMS said that the Prime Minister had set out his position on the subject in his statement to the house on the 25th July 2007 and that position had not changed. There was a case for going beyond 28 days as the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and others had said on numerous occasions and the Government was in the process of consulting on what the most appropriate method might be for doing that.

Put that the Director General of MI5 was making a speech today, in which he would be warning people of the current security threat and had the Prime Minister read the speech or known about the timing of it, considering the Government could be rolling out new anti-terror legislation tomorrow, the PMS replied that the timing was entirely a matter for MI5 and was not influenced by the Government. The PMS added that he did not accept the premise of the question necessarily, that the Government would be rolling out details or coming out with new proposals tomorrow in relation to counter-terrorism. Put that there would be a bill tomorrow on the subject; the PMS said that people would have to wait and see what the Queen said. The PMS was not suggesting otherwise, but equally he was not suggesting that there would be new detailed proposals tomorrow.

Asked if talks with other party leaders had continued on the issue, the PMS said it was his understanding that there had been some discussion, but it was being very much led by the Home Secretary, so it would be best to check with the Home Office.

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