Terrorism: Stop and Search — Question

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 2:57 pm on 26 January 2010.

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Photo of Baroness Howells of St Davids Baroness Howells of St Davids Labour 2:57, 26 January 2010

I thank my noble and learned friend for her very interesting reply, but I am sure that she is aware that the removal from the statute book of the outdated Vagrancy Act was the result of the adverse effect that it had on young black males, some as young as seven. It caused a great problem to this country. In reintroducing the measure under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act, the Government gave some interesting reasons. Perhaps my noble and learned friend can tell the House whether any of those reasons have been satisfied. Could she say how many acts of terrorism and criminal activity have been thwarted in the past 12 months by the Act and whether it has reassured the public?