Welcome to the Independent Reviewer’s website

Jonathan Hall
Jonathan Hall QC

Thank you for visiting. I was appointed in May 2019 to scrutinise and report on terrorism legislation.

I do so from a position of complete independence, with access to secret and sensitive national security information and personnel in order to carry out my role.

On this website you will find documents and tweets from myself and from my predecessors.

I have now delivered my first annual Report, the Terrorism Acts in 2018, to the Government and look forward to its publication in due course.

Jonathan Hall QC

Features

Terrorism Offences Sentencing Guideline: my response to consultation

On 22 October 2019 the Sentencing Council opened a consultation on proposed amendments to its Terrorism Offences Guideline, used by judges sentencing terrorism offences in England and Wales.

This follows the recent increases to sentences for certain terrorism offences under the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019. The consultation closes on 3 December 2019.

The consultation document is here.

191112 Response to Sentencing Council

New draft Video Recording Code of Practice, Northern Ireland: my response to consultation

On 22 July 2019 the Northern Ireland Office opened a consultation on a new draft Code of Practice for the video recording of interviews of persons detained under section 41 of, or Schedule 7 to, the Terrorism Act 2000 at police stations in Northern Ireland. Section 41 contains the power to arrest suspected terrorists. Schedule 7 contains the power to examine travellers at ports and borders. The consultation closes on 14 October 2019.

The consultation document and new draft Code of Practice is here.

190827 formal response to NI Recording Code

 

Reports

Evidence

Submission in relation to Clause 3 of the Counter Terrorism & Border Security Bill 2018

COUNTER TERRORISM AND BORDER SECURITY BILL:  SUBMISSION IN RELATION TO CLAUSE 3

BY MAX HILL QC AND PROFESSOR CLIVE WALKER

This paper follows evidence given to the Bill Scrutiny Committee on 26th June 2018 by Max Hill QC, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. Together with Professor Clive Walker QC (Hon), Senior Special Adviser to the Independent Reviewer,  the premise of this paper is to ask the question, if a new variant of section 58 is needed at all, what might that look like ?[1]

[1] This paper should be read in conjunction with the analysis already given in Professor Walker’s written submission to the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Speeches

Sir Christopher Staughton Memorial Lecture: Reflections on my first year as Independent Reviewer

UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORSHIRE

SIR CHRISTOPHER STAUGHTON MEMORIAL LECTURE

14TH MARCH 2018.

MAX HILL Q.C.

INDEPENDENT REVIEWER OF TERRORISM LEGISLATION

REFLECTIONS ON MY FIRST YEAR AS INDEPENDENT REVIEWER

On Wednesday 22 March 2017, 52-year old British-born Khalid Masood drove a hired vehicle across Westminster Bridge in the direction of the Palace of Westminster. He mounted the pavement twice colliding with pedestrians and then a third time crashing into the east perimeter gates of the Palace of Westminster. Masood then exited the car and ran into the vehicle entrance gateway of the Palace of Westminster, Carriage Gates, where he attacked and fatally injured PC Keith Palmer using a knife. Masood was shot at the scene by armed police protection officers who were in Parliament at the time of the attack. The whole incident lasted approximately 82 seconds. The attack resulted in 29 people injured and 6 fatalities.

Read more…