'Scepticism' on terror detentions

Jacqui Smith questions whether the 28-day detention limit is enough.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith says a consultation on extending the 28-day limit on holding terrorism suspects has been met with "some scepticism".

She made the admission to the Commons Home Affairs committee which is looking into counter terrorism legislation.

Ms Smith has called for an extension to the 28 day limit - even though she says there has not yet been a situation when a longer detention period was needed.

The Tories and Lib Dems say there is no evidence the limit needs extending.

'Proportionate' response

Giving evidence to the cross-party committee, Ms Smith said: "We face a serious and sustained threat from terrorism.

"We believe it is very likely in a very, very small number of cases that there will come a time when more than 28 days is needed to question somebody.

"It is reasonable and proportionate for us to be asking Parliament to discuss that now."

She stressed: "I haven't made the case that there has already been a case that needed to go beyond 28 days."

But she added that the it was likely that in the future it may be necessary for the limit "to go beyond 28 days".

'Hypothetical scenarios'

Asked about the responses to consultation on counter terrorism measures, she said: "For the vast majority of the proposals we are putting forward .... there is still some scepticism about proposals to extend the pre-charge questioning/detention period beyond 28 days."

But shadow home secretary David Davis said: "Yet again we see the Home Secretary forced to concede there is no evidence of a need to extend detention without trial beyond 28 days.

"Yet again we are offered only speculation about hypothetical scenarios - for which there already exists perfectly adequate laws, if the government has the resolve to use them."

The government had originally wanted police to be able to hold terror suspects for 90 days without charge - a call which led to Tony Blair's first Commons defeat as prime minister.

A compromise eventually saw the previous 14-day limit extended to 28 days, but a number of ministers have said they still favour a longer detention period.