NO CASE FOR EXTENSION OF PRE-CHARGE DETENTION PERIOD

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 6th Feb 2008

Commenting on today's report from the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights into the Government's proposal to extend pre-charge detention to 42 days, Dr Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat member of the committee, said:

"This unanimous report sets out how alternatives to pre-charge detention can work to give the police more tools to prosecute terrorist suspects.

"These approaches further undermine the already insubstantial case for detaining suspects for more than four weeks without charge.

"The Government's latest plan to appoint the Secretary of State's own preferred coroner in certain cases and to dispense with a jury is astonishing. It would have serious implications for the UK's ability to comply with the European Convention, which requires an independent and effective investigation of deaths caused by the use of force by the state.

"The prospect of the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes being conducted by Jack Straw's appointee without a jury is alarming at the least.

"The Chilcot Report makes clear that more successful prosecutions will be possible with the use of intercept evidence. This has clear implications on the need for extended pre-charge detention but the Prime Minister refuses to acknowledge it."

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Dr Evan Harris questioned the Prime Minister, following his statement on the Chilcot Report, about the implications of the evidence that more successful prosecutions will be possible with the use of intercept on the case for an extension to the period of pre-charge detention.