Counter-Terrorism Act 2008

A Bill to Confer further powers to gather and share information for counter-terrorism and other purposes; to make further provision about the detention and questioning of terrorist suspects and the prosecution and punishment of terrorist offences; to impose notification requirements on persons convicted of such offences; to amend the law relating to asset freezing proceedings under United Nations terrorism orders; to amend the law relating to inquests and inquiries; to amend the definition of “terrorism”; to amend the enactments relating to terrorist offences, control orders and the forfeiture of terrorist cash; to provide for recovering the costs of policing at certain gas facilities; to amend provisions about the appointment of special advocates in Northern Ireland; and for connected purposes.

The Bill contains a number of provisions which the Government states are designed to enhance counter-terrorism powers. The main elements of the Bill are:

• a provision to allow the pre-charge detention of terrorist suspects to be extended from 28 days to 42 days in certain circumstances
• changes to enable the post-charge questioning of terrorist suspects and the drawing of adverse inferences from silence
• imposing requirements on people convicted of terrorist offences to let authorities know where they are living and any changes to their circumstances
• enhanced sentencing of offenders who commit offences with a terrorist connection
• provision for inquests and inquiries to be heard without a jury.

The Bill would also confer further powers to gather and share information for counter-terrorism and other purposes, and amend the law relating to asset-freezing procedures.