Schedule 1
Counter-Terrorism Bill
12:45 pm
Tony McNulty (Minister of State (Security, Counter-terrorism, Crime and Policing), Home Office; Harrow East, Labour)
I was going to intervene earlier on the hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield, but it is very clear under law that no one will spend more than 14 days in police custody, unless they choose to. The automatic assumption is that after 14 days—as has been the case with those held for beyond 14 days—they are removed to what the hon. Gentleman quite rightly suggested is a more conducive environment in prison, rather than remaining in police cells. I do not want the illusion to exist that somehow, all the way through to 28 days, the time in detention is spent in police cells without some connivance on the individual’s part.