Report on the Terrorism Acts in 2011

This report evaluated the risks posed by terrorism and the operation of the Terrorism Act 2000 and 2006 (the Terrorism Acts) in 2011.

It summarised the independent reviewer’s observations of the use of these powers in practice, and made recommendations in relation to each of them (22 in total).

In particular, it recommended that:

• groups should only remain proscribed when they are currently involved in terrorism, or taking steps to become involved, and when banning them can be of real utility in protecting the public from terrorism (chapter 4, 12.7-12.12)
• consideration should be given to making bail available to those detained under the Terrorism Acts, so that peripheral players who pose no risk to public safety need not be kept in detention, and a charging decision would not have to be reached within 14 days (7.71-7.73, 12.15)
• there should be a public consultation and review of the Schedule 7 power, preceded by the release of as much information as possible about its use chapter 9, 12.18).

The report’s conclusions are in chapter 11 and a full list of recommendations is set out in chapter 12.

The Government responded in March 2013.