HC Deb 19 November 1985 vol 87 cc137-8W
Mr. Corbyn

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) questioned and (b) charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for each month since January 1984; and, of those questioned but not charged, what records of the questioning are retained by the police.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Under article 4 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Supplemental Temporary Provisions) Order 1984 there is a power to examine persons arriving in or leaving Great Britain. Such examinations often last for only a few minutes, but article 9 gives authority for the detention of persons pending the conclusion of his examination or pending consideration of the question whether to make an exclusion order against him. There are also powers to arrest and detain under section 12 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984.

The number of people detained under article 9 and section 12, and charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1984 for each month since January 1984, is:

1984 Detained Charged
January 11 —
February 16 2
March 29 —
April 19 1
May 19 1
June 10 —
July 29 2
August 9 —
September 8 2
October 15 —
November 20 3
December 18 2
Total 203 13
1985
January 20 —
February 6 —
March 7 1
April 19 1
May 13 1
June 56 8
July 18 —
August 17 1
September 21 —
Total 177 12

Records are not available for persons examined for less than one hour under article 4 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Supplemental Temporary Provisions) Order 1984. Figures for the number of people examined for more than one hour under article 4 are available only since 22 March 1984, when the 1984 Act came into force. They are:

1984 Number
March —
April 7
May 9
June 2

1984 Number
July 3
August 3
September 2
October 8
November 6
December 3
Total 43
1985
January 2
February 5
March 3
April 4
May 5
June 9
July 3
August 5
September 4
Total 40

Records of all persons examined for more than one hour under article 4 or detained under article 9 or section 12 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act are kept by the police.

Mr. Corbyn

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people questioned under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in Scotland were subsequently transferred to England for further questioning during the past two years.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Nine.