Evidence

The Independent Reviewer gives evidence, almost invariably in public, to a variety of UK parliamentary committees. I consider this a very important way of informing the policy and political debate on counter-terrorism and civil liberties, second only to the preparation of my reports.

Written evidence and transcripts of oral evidence are available below: they are normally posted on the site of the relevant committee. Oral evidence is also streamed live and can be viewed later through the parliamentlive.tv website.

I have also given evidence (in London) to Canada’s Security and Intelligence Review Committee, to Norway’s 22 July Commission, to Germany’s G10 Committee and to Australia’s Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Transcripts or minutes of such evidence (to the extent they may exist) are not available here.

“Select Bibliography of Terrorism Resources”, House of Commons Library Standard Note SN05866 of 29 April 2013, has links to a wealth of Select Committee and Government material on counter-terrorism law.

IP Bill, Public Bill Committee: 2016

A House of Commons Public Bill Committee has been set up in order to give detailed scrutiny to the Investigatory Powers Bill that was unveiled on 1 March 2016 and given its second reading on 15 March.  A good deal of written evidence to that committee was published last week.

I was the first witness to be examined by the Public Bill Committee, on 24 March 2016.  A  transcript of my 25-minute evidence has been published on the Committee’s website, and most of it is captured on video.

Later on 24 March, I submitted written evidence to the Public Bill Committee in order to expand upon some of the points touched on in my oral evidence and to raise some new points.  That written evidence is published here for the first time. Read more…

HASC: Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill, 2014

My evidence on the Bill

For the second time in a week, I gave evidence to a parliamentary committee on the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill.  The Bill, fast-tracked as is often the fate of counter-terrorism legislation, completed its second reading in the House of Commons yesterday.  Subjects covered include TPIMs, temporary exclusion orders, passport removal and the value (if any) of the Independent Reviewer. Read more…

JCHR session, 2014

The JCHR asked me along this morning, with Ben Emmerson QC, to answer some wide-ranging questions on counter-terrorism and human rights.  Originally planned as a private session to inform the JCHR’s future work programme, this evolved into a public hearing. Read more…