Clause 23 — Extension of period of detention by judicial Authority

Part of Orders of the Day — Terrorism Bill – in the House of Commons at 4:00 pm on 9 November 2005.

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Photo of Claire Curtis-Thomas Claire Curtis-Thomas Labour, Crosby 4:00, 9 November 2005

I accept those words of caution and I understand what motivates my colleague, the hon. and learned Gentleman, in saying them, but I am trying to demonstrate that when our country is faced with people who commit heinous crimes, the police have to settle down and begin to develop guidance and procedures to tackle those crimes.

We all expect, and hope to achieve, a state of perfection in such operational guidelines, but we never reach it. I know that from my experience of dealing with how sex crimes are investigated. When the police ask for 90 days, they do so because they think they need 90 days—not 28 days. I also know that when they make that consideration they have not carried out the objective research that we would expect of them to justify that period, but they are providing us with their best view at the time. I am interested in giving them the tools for the job.