Clause 7
Counter-Terrorism Bill
12:30 pm
Tony McNulty (Minister of State (Security, Counter-terrorism, Crime and Policing), Home Office; Harrow East, Labour)
The clause is very straightforward and provides that documents removed under the clause should not be photographed or copied unless they are in electronic form and a copy is needed to make them visible and legible, which I think is an entirely appropriate further safeguard against the improper use of the power. I do not know whether the provision will now have to be amended, in the light of my earlier emollience, to say that we could—notwithstanding the safeguards for the police under subsection 6(3)—probably afford a copy of the document to the individual. I am not sure what the interplay is between the two things, given that the provision prohibits the photocopying and photographing of the documentation. I shall have to look at that. However, in my limited knowledge at the moment, I commend the clause to the Committee.