Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether police will have the power to stop and search citizens at protests without suspicion under the Public Order Bill.

The Public Order Bill will enable an officer of or above the rank of inspector to authorise suspicionless stop and searches in a defined geographical area if they reasonably believe the following:

1. That specific protest related offences listed in the Public Order Bill will be committed within the officer’s area.
2. That individuals are carrying prohibited items within the respective officer’s locality
3. That the authorisation of a suspicion-less stop and search power is necessary to prevent the commission of the protest related offences.

The use of a suspicion-less stop and search power would only be authorised if each of these criteria are met and, in doing so, the authorising officer must specify the locality and time period (not exceeding 24 hours) in which it is to be used. The specified area and time period must be no greater than is absolutely necessary.

A "prohibited item" refers to an item which is made or adapted to facilitate, or to commit, an offence. Alternatively, a prohibited item is an item which an individual intends to use to facilitate or to commit an offence.