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Operation Pathway

My Lords, I start by thanking the Minister for repeating the Statement on what can only be described as a most serious situation. The loss of one of the most senior counterterrorism officers under any circumstances would be bad enough, but the fact that it has happened because of a self-inflicted gross security blunder is a disaster, which has ended his career. He was a talented and well regarded senior figure in the Metropolitan Police. This one catastrophic mistake has terminated his career, denied the service of an informed and experienced officer and brought a serious investigation to fruition earlier than anticipated. Whether this will have an adverse effect is not yet known; only the outcome of the current inquiries will confirm that. However, the police involved in this serious incident are to be commended for being in a position to bring forward the matter when it became urgent to do so. Assistant Commissioner Quick’s replacement, Assistant Commissioner Yates, even with all his knowledge and experience will have a considerable job to do quickly to establish his credibility in this part of the service—he is well known in other parts—and to come to grips with the enormous amount of work that has to be done to ensure the safety of this country. I am sure that he is more than capable of doing that; he has a good reputation within the police service. There is probably little point in going over the almost unbelievable lapse of security for which Assistant Commissioner Quick so rightly fell on his sword. One hopes that lessons have been learnt, not only about the advisability of secret documents being laconically carried in full view of the press, but about transmitting such material in a way that enables briefings on sensitive issues to take place without the need for paper reminders. The Minister might like to comment on the suggestion made by one photographer that the Government had been warned that the use of digital cameras by press photographers in Downing Street would mean that sensitive documents, if held openly, could be photographed in detail. Was such a warning received? If so, what action was taken on it? The result of Assistant Commissioner Quick’s lapse meant not only that secret information was available to the public but, far more importantly, that Operation Pathway had to be brought forward. We have yet to find out whether those arrested are to be charged, but there is at least a rumour that some—one or two—will be deported. Can the Minister say what discussions, if any, will be required with, presumably, the Pakistani authorities, or maybe those of another country, to ensure that anyone who is to be deported will be taken back on acceptable terms, particularly in view of the general difficulties over deporting people not only in the past but also at the moment? If there are to be deportations, how will those difficulties be overcome? Phil Woolas, Minister for Immigration, has recently been quoted as saying that abuse of student visas has been the biggest loophole in Britain’s border control. It has been suggested that at least some of those arrested are here on student visas. Can the Minister tell the House what is being done to tighten up the issuing of these visas, particularly for those applying from Pakistan? Is the Minister aware of the comments by the Pakistani high commissioner that his country would be willing to help with the scrutiny of those applying for visas to verify their bona fides? Has this matter been considered and discussed? The Home Secretary said in her Statement that we need to enhance co-operation with Pakistan. Would this be an opportunity to do so? The UK Border Agency recently reported that, of the 2,100 applications from colleges for a licence to educate overseas students, over 460 had been rejected, although that was expressed in slightly different terms in the Home Secretary’s Statement. What action is being taken to close down these colleges, or at least to refer them to the education authorities to be investigated? I note that the UK Border Agency will have some role in this, but I suspect that such colleges are also registered under other departments. The Minister has been at pains to explain to the House on a number of occasions that the new tier system of visa control means that the number of people seeking to enter this country for work or study is being reduced. However, I am afraid that he may now need to explain more regularly how the abuse of student visas is to be stopped, with genuine students permitted to continue to benefit from our country while those who wish us ill are prevented from coming. The police have a very difficult job. However, they have been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons in the past few weeks. Today, we have not had an opportunity to comment on the problems that have arisen regarding the performance of a few of them during the G20 conference. There are issues to be addressed, including the suggestion raised during the previous debate that some police officers were covering up their number tags. I realise that there is an independent police inquiry, but this is another issue that has recently bubbled up. There are also outstanding matters regarding the arrest of my honourable friend Damian Green. However, on today’s Statement, Operation Pathway and its attendant dramas have been a real wake-up call: security means security to everyone involved.