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Counter-Terrorism Bill

I have no doubt that the hon. Gentleman and the Home Secretary will continue that interesting joust elsewhere afterwards. Let me now turn to the so-called safeguards in the Government's amendments. First, it would still be up to the Home Secretary to determine whether the conditions for extended detention had been met. In theory, her decision has to be in response to a ““grave exceptional terrorist threat””, but that need hardly constrain her, as even the possibility of a threat remote from these islands would be enough. New clause 20 states:"““In this Act 'grave exceptional terrorist threat' means an event or situation involving terrorism which causes or threatens—""(a) serious loss of human life””." That is not by any means restricted to the United Kingdom. This could almost be regarded as the ““Tongan clause”” as it would allow any ““grave exceptional terrorist threat”” in Tonga to trigger the extension by the Home Secretary of the period of detention without charge from 28 days to 42 days. That is not exactly the sort of safeguard this Parliament is used to having in connection with a matter involving fundamental freedoms.