HC Deb 05 May 2004 vol 420 cc1540-1W
Ross Cranston

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Ms King) on 8 March 2004,Official Report, columns 1256–57W, on anti-terrorism legislation, if he will collate information on the religious background of those detained under UK anti-terrorism legislation. [166428]

Mr. Blunkett

I do not believe that the religion of an individual is relevant to whether or not they may have been involved in terrorism.

In respect of all detentions under anti-terrorism legislation, there is no requirement for detainees to provide information pertaining to their religion. This data is therefore not collated centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

Ross Cranston

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 669W, on the Terrorism Act 2000, if he will update the figures. [166813]

Mr. Blunkett

Police records show that since 11 September 2001, 562 people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 and that 97 of those have been charged with offences under that Act (please note that two persons previously reported as originally charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 had their charges amended during the prosecution process) resulting in 14 convictions.

53 people have been released directly into the custody of the immigration services. (Please note that the difference of one here is the result of a review, which identified an erroneous earlier report from a Constabulary.) A further 99 of those arrested under the Act have been charged under other legislation.

280 individuals were released without charge or further sanction. Information on any further action taken is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.