Shahid Malik: ...rooms will share calls across the network to manage even the highest call volumes and thereby be more resilient in emergencies. The new network will also improve the country's ability to respond to terrorism, large-scale industrial accidents and natural disasters such as flooding. FiReControl is a complex and demanding project that involves significant change to operating practices in the...
Shahid Malik: ...do not fall into that category. I take her point about the Street Angels project, which seems a worthy initiative, and I wish it well. The hon. Member for Woking spoke at some length about terrorism and counter-terrorism, for which there is a separate budget, which has more than doubled in the past few years because the Government have recognised some of the challenges that the country...
Shahid Malik: ...so that they are not identifiable. The Met Commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, and I believe that to be the case. My hon. Friend talked about how some of the legislation in respect of counter-terrorism powers is used. I stress that it is our view that those powers should be used only in relation to terrorism and not anything else. It is completely wrong for that to happen. On the powers...
Shahid Malik: ..." retention policy for DNA and fingerprints. Of course we accept the Court's judgment but also its recognition of the importance of using DNA and fingerprints to tackle and prevent crime, including terrorism, and ensure public protection. Public protection is a key consideration in what we do.
Shahid Malik: ...important topic that has recently attracted considerable interest. I have listened carefully to the points raised and shall try to deal with the main issues. Let me start by saying that our counter-terrorism laws are not designed or intended to stop people taking photographs. That is simply not their aim. People have the right to take photographs in public places for legitimate reasons and...
Shahid Malik: ...is not intelligence-led—have the right to stop and search people if they feel it necessary to do so. Parliament passed those laws many years ago. My hon. Friend the Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing has met with several MPs and with representatives of Amateur Photographer to discuss the issue. He has also written to Ken Jones, president of the Association of...
Shahid Malik: ...will give Members satisfaction on other issues. If it does not, I may have just enough time left to respond to outstanding questions. The second issue concerns the new offence in section 58A of the Terrorism Act 2000, which was inserted by section 76 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008. It makes it an offence to elicit, attempt to elicit, publish or communicate information about an...
Shahid Malik: ...climate change (PSA 27) and conflict prevention (PSA 30). In addition, through our work on poverty reduction, the Department will contribute to delivery of the PSAs on migration (PSA 3) and counter-terrorism (PSA 26). PSA 27 In consultation with others, we are helping to design a suite of multi-donor climate investment funds to reduce poverty through action on climate change. These will...
Shahid Malik: ...of weapons smuggled through tunnels, and I take her point about vigilance. We are clear that the Palestinian Authority are committed to the middle east peace process and to tackling extremism and terrorism.
Shahid Malik: My right hon. Friend will be aware that there is a disproportionate fear of anti-terror legislation among many British Muslims. The former leader of the Conservative party talked about my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's speech and question and answer session on Sunday in which he said that legislation ultimately will not defeat terrorism and extremism and that we need to "win the battle of...
Shahid Malik: I commend the Government for their overall approach to dealing with terrorism. They are taking a twin-pronged approach, and the first prong involves robust anti-terror legislation, of which I have been a strong and vocal supporter. Mohammad Siddique Khan was one of my constituents. The other prong involves dealing with causal factors. Over the weekend, research reports were published by the...
Shahid Malik: ...of State for Trade and Industry what (a) powers and (b) duties the Commission for Equality and Human Rights will have to deal with tackling (i) basic community relations, (ii) extremism, (iii) terrorism and (iv) race relations at a local level.
Shahid Malik: ...proud to be elected as Dewsbury's MP, but that pride pales into insignificance compared with the pride I feel at the way in which we have responded, as a united community, against the twin evils of terrorism and extremism. However, I am not naive, and the arrest this weekend in my constituency of a young man whom the tabloids have labelled the fifth suicide bomber underlines the need for...
Shahid Malik: ...must also be one to win the hearts and minds of all decent Britons. That is why I applaud the seven working groups that he has set up to deal with the environment that can fuel extremism and foster terrorism. I also applaud his decision to chair the commission on integration and cohesion, which has the potential to do much good. Although it is absolutely right that we focus on young...
Shahid Malik: ...from overtly promoting violence, our battle with them must be one of ideas. I urge everyone in our communities to support the police and the security services in their fight against the evil of terrorism. They cannot win that battle alone. We all have a responsibility as communities and individuals, which is why I am happy to say that over the past few weeks I have passed on information to...
