Clause 18
Counter-Terrorism Bill
5:15 pm
Tony McNulty (Minister of State (Security, Counter-terrorism, Crime and Policing), Home Office; Harrow East, Labour)
I think, in all seriousness, that it would be the former rather than the latter because we are signatories to all sorts of conventions and treaties, including against torture and so on. The Government’s position starts from that broadest concept when defining “lawful”.
A small point that is probably part of the confusion is that PACE and PACE-generated data and samples relate to the police station and the process post-arrest. The provision is about standardising some of the data and other matters secured outside the police station and outwith the PACE process.
The hon. and learned Gentleman was right, and I hope that my explanation was useful in exploring some of the finer details of the amendments, which I shall resist.