Counterterrorism Review

Debate between Earl Attlee and Lord Blair of Boughton

Wednesday 26th January 2011 Lords Chamber

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, if we are quick we can get one more round in. I suggest Cross Bench, Liberal Democrat, Labour.

[Lord Blair of Boughton]

My Lords—

[Lord Maginnis of Drumglass]

My Lords, I suggest to the Minister—

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, I suggest that we hear from the former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

[Lord Blair of Boughton]

Thank you, my Lords. I need to declare an interest in that I was a former member of ACPO and of the police service in the metropolis. I thank the noble Baroness for the Statement. I merely carry on from the question raised by the noble Lord, Lord Howard, which is: how can Parliament legislate on the back of a police and Security Service operation? One reason why ACPO brought up the question of the length of detention in a period when we had no atrocity immediately before us was so that Parliament could debate it in an open atmosphere. I do not suggest that it cannot be done, but an enormous amount of thought has to be given to how both Houses of Parliament could decide that the situation had reached the point at which emergency legislation had to be brought in, particularly if it was not after an atrocity but merely because of a series of desperately significant operations going on. I do not understand how this House or the other place could debate that in the open.